Haunted
by TheTragedyIs13
Summary: This is Hermione's POV after Ron leaves and on from there. Enjoy!
1. He's Gone

He's gone, he's gone, he's gone…..

Those words kept running around in circles in my head as I curled up under the blankets. Harry was outside, keeping watch. I knew he was hoping he would come back, but I think we both knew…he wasn't.

I felt the tears fall, staining the pillow. I tried to be quiet, but I think Harry knew. And if he knew, he didn't give any signs. He just let me cry.

It wasn't until later after the rain had finally turned to drizzle that I finally drifted off into a fitful sleep and awoke to Harry gently shaking me.

"What?" I asked stupidly.

"You wanna take watch?" he asked softly.

I nodded, pushing my disheveled hair out of my face. My eyes were swollen, but I stood up, shivering. It was cold. I pulled on a jacket, took my wand out and lit it, and sat in front of the tent, waiting.

But nothing happened. Nothing ever did.

Where was Ron?

No. I couldn't let my mind wander to him, I chastised myself. I couldn't think of the morning of the wedding…or the night we arrived at Grimmauld Place….Those thoughts were banished. At least for a while.

I let out a tiny sigh, wanting to read _The_ _Tales of Beedle, the Bard _again but I didn't want to risk being distracted and finally have someone find us and attack us.

When dawn finally came, Harry and I lingered longer than necessary. We packed the tent slowly and I swore I heard someone walking around and at every sound, my head whipped up, hopeful, but it was usually just some animal. I knew Harry was hoping too because every time I looked up, he looked up.

Finally, we knew we could no longer stay, so I took Harry's hand and we Disapparated. I took us somewhere far away. I didn't want to be anywhere that could be anywhere close to Ron.

We didn't talk as we set up camp and I took the Horcrux necklace without word and sat in front of the tent flap while Harry tried to find firewood. I looked around the clearing, searching for anything remotely edible, but there was nothing. But we got lucky. Harry had found some wild mushrooms and I cooked them.

We still weren't talking. What was there to say? Nothing….

A few days after Ron left, Harry was walking around the tent, a look of concentration on his face. I was curled up in a chair, rereading The Tale of the Three Brothers. Actually…I was pretty much just staring at this weird rune above the title. I had my Ancient Runes book open, but it was nothing like I had ever seen and the rune wasn't in the book.

"Hermione?" came Harry's voice somewhat distantly.

I ignored him and said, "Hey Harry? Can you come here for a moment?"

I heard him walk over and I raised the book up for him to look at it.

"Have you ever seen this before?" I asked him.

Harry shook his head, looking puzzled. "No. you were the one who took Ancient Runes."

"Yes, but I've never seen this before and it's not in the book," I told him. I pulled the book back to my lap.

Harry gave it another try.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry?" I asked, still staring at the rune.

"I was thinking…we should go to Godric's Hollow," he said sounding hesitant.

I sighed. "Yes, I was thinking the same and I think we really ought to."

It was true. Where else would the sword be? Godric's Hollow…Godric's sword….It fit.

"You were?" Harry asked, sounding bewildered.

I nodded. "It's where Godric Gryffindor lived."

"Godric Gryffindor lived there?" Harry asked, sounding excited now.

I let out a frustrated sigh. Honestly!

"Haven't you ever opened Hogwarts, A History?" I asked him, exasperated.

"Yeah…when I first got it…," Harry replied. He might have well have been shuffling his feet like a little five year old who got caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"Well, Godric's Hollow was named after Godric Gryffindor," I said. "Anyways….I think it's where the sword might be."

"And, well…I wanted to see my parents graves," Harry said, his voice quiet.

I gave him an automatic sympathetic look. I couldn't help it. Ron was wrong, that much I knew. I was with Harry. He didn't ask for any of this. He didn't ask for Voldemort to scar him, marking him as Voldemort's enemy. And that's why I stayed with Harry. Because while I love Ron…I promised Harry. I promised him I would help him. And I knew he was right. I've always known that.

It was never easy to tell Ron no. I wanted to go with him; I wanted to be safe again, never to be hunted for being a Muggleborn. But that's when my thoughts changed. I would never be safe – no one would be safe! – until Voldemort was destroyed. And he can't be destroyed unless we stay with Harry and destroy the Horcruxes.

But that didn't keep Ron's last words to me from haunting me.

"I get it….you chose him…."

I could help but run after him. There was nothing else for me to do! I couldn't just let him go! But he was gone….

After careful planning, Harry and I got hairs from two Muggles shopping for Christmas and, after using the last of the Polyjuice Potion, we finally made our way to Godric's Hollow.

When we Apparated in the town, I looked around and saw wreaths on many doors, loud caroling came from a pub nearby and then it hit me.

"All this snow!" I said under my breath. "Why didn't we think of snow? After all our precautions, we'll leave prints! We'll just have to get rid of them – you go in front, I'll do it."

But Harry shook his head.

"Let's take off the Cloak," Harry said. I looked at him, scared. What if someone saw us? "Oh, come on, we don't look like us and there's no one around."

Harry stowed the Cloak under his jacket and we walked on.

"Harry. I think…I think it's Christmas Eve!" I told him, pulling his arm. Harry turned and looked and nodded.

"Is it?" he asked me.

"I'm sure it is," I said, looking at a church where we could hear a choir singing. "They…they'll be in there, won't they? Your Mom and Dad? I can see the graveyard behind it."

Harry hesitated a little. I took his hand and pulled him forward. When we were about halfway across the square, something caught my eye and I stopped dead.

"Harry, look!"

I pointed at the memorial that had caught my eye. When we passed it, it turned into a statue of three people: a man with glasses, a woman with long hair, and a baby boy.

Harry pulled away and drew close to the statue. Sadness washed through me. While I had merely put a Memory Charm on my parents and Harry's were…gone…it still made me sad to think that it was almost like my parents were dead. I shook myself mentally as Harry turned back to me.

"Come on," he muttered. We crossed the road and I saw him look over his shoulder. I didn't look with him, so I just kept walking, leading us through.

There was a gate at the entrance of the graveyard and I pushed it open quietly as I could. We edged through the gap and were standing in the graveyard.

We spilt, Harry going one way, I went the other.

From across the graveyard, Harry called, "Look at this, It's an Abbott, could be some long-lost relative of Hannah's!"

"Keep your voice down," I begged him urgently.

We walked farther when one grave in particular caught my eye.

"Harry, here!"

Harry waded through the snow to her, his face eager.

"Is it -?"

"No, but look!"

I pointed at the grave and Harry stooped down and looked at it.

It was a headstone for a Kendra Dumbledore and an Arianna Dumbledore, Dumbledore's mother and sister. There was a quotation, which read:

Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.

Harry stood and, even though his face was in shadow, I could swear that his face was not as calm as he was trying to make it look.

"are you sure he never mentioned-?" I began, wondering if Dumbledore ever told him anything about his sister, but Harry cut me off.

"No," he said curtly, and then added, "let's keep looking."

We parted again and I went left.

I was looking for only a few moments when a name caught my eye.

Excited, I cried, "Here!" Then, realizing it didn't say Potter, I quickly added, "Oh no, sorry! I thought it said Potter."

I crouched down and rubbed at the mossy stone. I could feel the frown on my face. That name was familiar. But where had I…?

"Harry, come back a moment."

I was sure that I'd seen this name before.

She heard him crunch his way towards her. When he reached her, he asked, "What?"

"Look!"

I pointed at the symbol I'd just spotted as he was walking.

"Harry, that's the mark on the book!"

It was the mark that looked like an eye. The triangular shape, the circle, and the line.

"Yeah…it could be…."

Lighting my wand, I then pointed at the name on the headstone.

"It says Ig-Ignotus, I think…."

"I'm going to go look for my parents, all right?" Harry walked off. I could tell he was getting agitated that I kept sidetracking him, but I couldn't help it. It was the mark from the book!

Finally, I stood and began searching again.

Somebody inside the church turned off the lights, thrusting us into darkness.

After searching for a few more minutes, looking at many surnames I recognized and some that had died out completely. And then I saw them.

"Harry, they're here…right here."

Harry made his way quickly over, his breathing heavy. I vaguely wondered if he knew that he was breathing as heavy as he was. But at the same time, I was looking down at the graves. Pure white marble, lit brightly in the darkness. The words engraved on it was easily read.

James Potter Lily Potter

Born 27 March 1960 Born 30 January 1960

Died 31 October 1981 Died 31 October 1981

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

"'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death'…" Harry read aloud. "Isn't that a Death Eater idea? Why is that there?

"It doesn't mean defeating death in the way the Death Eaters mean it, Harry," I said gently. "It means, you know…living beyond death. Living after death."

I saw the tears fall from his eyes and my heart tugged at the sight. I took his hand and squeezed it tightly, letting him know I cared. He squeezed back but didn't look at me.

A thought occurred to me and, raising my wand, I moved it in a circle and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before us. Harry caught it and placed it on the grave.

He stood and put his arm around my shoulders. I put mine around his and, together, we walked out of the graveyard.

We walked a bit and then something occurred to me. "Harry, how are going to find Bathilda's house?" I asked him, shivering in the cold. "Harry? What do you think? Harry?"

I tugged his arm, but he wasn't paying attention. He was looking forward at a black mass that stood at the end of the row of houses. He suddenly sped up, dragging me with him; I slipped on some ice."

"Harry –"

"Look…Hermione, look…."

I don't…oh!"

When we reached it, we both gasped and looked at the dilapidated house that appeared before us.

One side of the house was completely gone and the rest looked unsafe.

"I wonder why nobody's ever rebuilt it," I whispered curiously.

"Maybe you can't rebuild it?" Harry replied. "Maybe it's like the injuries from Dark Magic and you can't repair it."

Harry suddenly walked forward and touched the gate.

"Oh, Harry no! You can't go in! It looks unsafe! It might – oh, Harry, look!" I said to him anxiously.

It was like Harry's touch on the gate cued the sign to rise up from the tangle of nettles and weeds.

On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981,

Lily and James Potter lost their lives.

Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard

Ever to have survived the Killing Curse.

This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left

In its ruined state as a monument to the Potters

And as a reminder of the violence

That tore apart their family.

All around these words, there were little notes written in Everlasting Ink or carved in the sign. Most were just initials, but some had actually left messages, all saying similar things.

Good luck, Harry, wherever you are.

Long live Harry Potter.

"They shouldn't have written on it!" I said indignantly.

But Harry beamed at me.

"I think it's brilliant."


	2. You Complete Arse

Behind us, a woman stood, beckoning us forward.

After Harry and I exchanged a nervous glance, we edged towards her.

"Are you Bathilda?" Harry asked her. She nodded. "Do you have something for us?" She nodded again. "What is it? Where is it?"

She merely beckoned us forward then hobbled away. We followed her to an old looking house. She led the way in and we walked in slowly behind her. I gripped Harry's arm tightly, afraid. Something wasn't right about this. Why wasn't she talking.

Then she motioned at Harry to follow her.

"You want me to go with you?" he asked her kindly. She nodded vigorously. He turned to me. "Hermione, I think she wants me to go with her."

I sighed, putting down the book by Rita Skeeter. "Alright. Let's go."

But Bathilda shook her head at me.

"I think she wants it to be just me," Harry said.

I bit my lip, unsure. But I said, "Alright. Just be careful."

Harry nodded, serious, and followed the batty old woman up the stairs.

When they were gone, I looked around the dirty living room. Something was definitely not right. Why was it so dusty in here? And why were there no pictures in the picture frames? Except the one Harry had looked at. Some boy. Just as I picked it up, I heard a thump from above me.

"Harry?" I called out uncertainly. "Is everything okay?"

No answer.

Looking around, I picked up The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore and then made my way upstairs.

I had just opened the door when I saw Harry trapped by a huge snake.

Panicking, I cried, "Relasho!" at the snake. Nothing happened, only it opening its mouth widely, letting out a hiss.

"Hermione! He's coming!" Harry screamed just as I spun around. Outside, I saw an approaching figure.

Scared, I ran for Harry, cried every spell I could think of, grabbed Harry's hand, looked for his wand, and saw it rolling away, broken. Not thinking, I grabbed his wand, clutched his hand, and Disapparated just as Voldemort got there, letting out a scream of fury that we had just gotten away.

My lungs getting crushed from the pressure, they expanded again when we got inside the tent.

Almost collapsing under his weight, I managed to pull Harry to the bottom bunk. He was sweating and tossing, crying out in his weird sleep.

Putting the book and his broken wand aside, I looked for a rag and a bowl.

"Aquamenti," I murmured, pointing my wand at the empty wand. It filled instantly with water and I dunked the rag in it. I squeezed it and then placed it on his forehead, trying to cool him down.

After several hours, he finally awoke, breathing heavily.

"What-? Where are we?" he asked.

"In the tent. I managed to get us away," I told him. He let out a sigh.

"How long was I out?" he asked me.

"Awhile. It's almost morning now," I replied. His eyes widened in shock. "I cleaned up the snake bite and I had to use the Severing Charm to get the Horcrux off of you."

His eyes moved to where I hung it hours ago.

"I used the Essence of Dittany, so you should be okay," I told him. He stood up suddenly and swayed. I gripped him just in case, but he shook me off.

"Hermione, you get some sleep," he told me, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Just give me my wand and I'll let you go."

I bit my lip nervously. "Um, Harry…."

He eyed me suspiciously. "Hermione, where' my wand?"

"Oh, Harry! When you were attacked by the snake, I was sending spells everywhere and I think…I think one of them hit your wand! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, Hermione, it was an accident," Harry said mechanically. "I'll just have to use your wand, then."

Still worried, I handed over my wand and watched him leave. Then, exhausted, I crawled into my own bed and was asleep instantly.

Harry woke me what seemed like moments later and said he thought he heard someone walking around, so we decided to Disapparate under the Cloak and arrived in a new place.

That night, I took watched and thought I saw someone walking. I reported this to Harry when he took over. We did this for several days, but it didn't matter, whenever we would take watch, it was like someone was out there.

On one of the days Harry was taking watch, I decided to read The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. And I saw a letter from Dumbledore to Grindlewald.

Getting up, I walked out to where Harry was sitting.

I crouched beside him and told him about it. We both read the letter and Harry, I could tell, was angry. I instantly regretted showing him the letter.

"He was only seventeen, Harry," I said as if this would help absolve Dumbledore of what he did, but Harry shook his head.

"We're seventeen, Hermione," Harry said fiercely, "and we're fighting the Dark Arts, not working with them."

I sighed and walked back in, letting my hand brush over his head. When would Harry see that Dumbledore really did care about him? And that this was just a test? Another one for Harry?

I sat back in the chair and kept reading before it was my turn.

The next night, Harry took shift, so I went to bed early after reading some more of the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Soon, I was asleep.

"Hermione, Hermione, wake up," Harry said, shaking me.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked him immediately, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes.

"Nothing's wrong! Everything's right!" Harry said. I looked at him, trying to figure out what he was saying.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" I asked him, confused.

"Guess who's come back." And then he slipped away.

And then I saw him, dripping wet, holding a sword and the Horcrux. I blinked.

Relief, happiness, joy, excitement all rushed through me at once while I stared at him. He held out his arms, a hopeful smile on his face. And then anger and resentment burst through, sending me in a fury.

I ran at him, hitting every inch of him that I could find.

"Ouch! Ouch! Gerroff me, Hermione!" he cried out, covering his face against my blows.

"You – complete – arse - Ronald Weasley!" With every word, I hit him. Again and again. I was so angry! How could he just waltz back in like this? After what he put us through? After what he put me through! I hit him again!

No! he was not going to come back! Not like this! He was not getting off easily!

I yelled at him while Harry kept trying to tell me that Ronald had saved his life. But I barely heard him. Words, sentences that I didn't even hear myself say as Ron just stood there and took it all, not even trying to defend himself against them.

Finally, I stopped yelling and stepped back, breathing heavily. Ron looked relieved.

"Goodnight," I said curtly, getting back into bed. I pulled the covers over my head, but I was no longer tired. I was still angry, but at the same time, I was happy. Ron was back. Ron was really back. I smiled a wide smile just as I heard Ron say, "Remember those birds? I'm glad she didn't do that this time."

The smile slid off my face like mud. "I still haven't ruled that out yet."

Silence.

Contented, I settled down under the covers and fell back asleep.


	3. Mum Always Said Midnight

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, as much as I wish I did. The story is my OWN, but the characters are the amazing J.K. Rowlings.**

**I hope you all are enjoying my story!**

**Thanks! **

**-LovelyAlice831-**

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Ron would, as some would say, suck up to me. With any suggestion I might make, he'd agree with. At times, I found this annoying, but at others, I thought it was very amusing.

Ron had the fortune of having a spare wand he'd taken off a Snatcher weeks ago. He gave it to Harry, but Harry kept saying how the wand wouldn't work right for him.

"It just takes practice, Harry," I told him one day while he was trying to perform a spell. He shot me a glare, but I stuck to what I said. It's only a wand, after all. If he keeps practicing with it, it'll work just fine for him.

One night, while I was taking guard, I heard Harry talking and then he and Ron both yelled.

"What's going on in there?" I asked.

"Nothing!" they said at the same time.

Narrowing my eyes, I walked inside the tent and then said, "Listen, I've been thinking. I want to go see Xenophilius."

"Come again?" Harry asked.

"This symbol keeps cropping up. It was in the graveyard," I said, showing them the strange eye.

"He was wearing that symbol at the wedding," Harry said suddenly.

I nodded.

Ron walked over to me, raised his hand and said, "I say we vote on it. All in favor of going to Xeno's, raise your hand."

Harry and I stared at him and he put his hand back down.

Shaking my head, I went back on guard.

A few days later, we packed up the tent and made our way to Xeno's house, hoping we'd see Luna.

It was starting to get warmer out and we guessed it was about April, so Luna should be home on Easter Break.

"There it is," Harry said, pointing ahead.

There, in front of us, was a house shaped like a castle.

"It looks like a rook," Ron said. We both gave him a look. "You would call it a castle, but in chess, it's called a rook."

I shrugged and walked on.

When we the house, we looked around and said together, "Luna."

There were dirigible plants and the yard was overgrown.

I knocked on the door and a very disheveled Xeno answered.

"Yes? Who are you?" he asked, squinting against the light. "What do you want?"

"Sir, I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, moving in front of us. "We met a few months ago. We were wondering if we could talk to you."

Xeno looked at us for a moment then let us in to a very odd house.

"Where's Luna?" Harry asked as we sat in a round living room.

Xeno gave a terrified look then said, "Luna? She's getting Freshwater Plimpies for dinner. She'll be around soon."

He poured us all cups of a strange liquid and then poured himself his own cup.

Before I took a drink, I sniffed it and almost gagged. But I didn't want to be rude, so I took a drink. And almost spit it back out. Swallowing past the vile drink, I looked at Ron, who had a disgusted look on his face.

"Sir, we were wondering about the symbol you wore at the wedding," Harry said, setting his own cup aside.

"You mean this?" Xeno asked, pulling a necklace out from under his robes. It was the eye.

"Yes. Well, we wondered…what is it?" Harry asked.

"The Deathly Hallows."

"The what?" Ron and I asked at the same time.

"The what?" Harry asked a few seconds later.

"You have, I assume, heard of The Tale of the Three Brothers?" Xeno asked.

"Yes," Ron and I said.

"No," Harry said.

"I have it here," I said, pulling the book out of my bag. I opened it and began to read.

" 'There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, windy road at twilight.'"

"Midnight. Mum always midnight," Ron said with a smile.

I shot him a glare.

"Twilight's fine," Ron said hastily. "Better in fact."

Turning back to the book, I read the tale. When I finished, Xeno said, "Well, there you have it. The Deathly Hallows."

"How?" Harry asked.

Xeno got up and grabbed a paper and pencil. We followed him and watched as he drew a line.

"The Elder wand," Xeno explained. Then he drew a circle. "The Resurrection Stone." Then he drew a triangle around the line and circle. "The Cloak of Invisibility. Thus, the Deathly Hallows."

I raised my eyebrows, but said nothing.

Xeno turned around and said, "More tea." Then he went downstairs.

"I'm not drinking anymore of that stuff," Ron said.

"Let's go," Harry said.

We made our way downstairs and told Xeno we were leaving.

He yelled and ran to the door. He had both hands on the door and he shaking.

"Sir, what is it?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Xeno turned around, a faraway look in his eyes. His eyes roved over all of us. And then something occurred to me. Where was Luna? She should've been here already. I was about to tell Ron when Xeno said, "They took her."

"Who took who?" Harry asked.

"They took my Luna," Xeno whispered. "Because I supported you. They took her. They took my Luna."

Ron and I exchanged panicked looks. The Death Eaters took Luna!

"Who took her, sir?" Harry asked again.

Xeno looked up at Harry and whispered, "Voldemort."

Ron yelled "NO!" just as the windows exploded.

We all dropped to the floor as everything around us exploded. I saw Harry's hand and reached for it. As soon as Ron grabbed our hands, we Disapparated.

The feeling of suffocation was on me and then I was suddenly on my back, breathing heavily.

"That treacherous little bleeder!" Ron snarled. "Is there no one we can trust?"

"He wanted Luna back," Harry said quietly. "She was taken because of me."

Ron shook his head as I looked anxiously between the two. Harry looked guilty, Ron just looked mad. But not at Harry. I let out a sigh of relief as Ron said, "I'll do the enchantments."

He turned and I reached in my bag for the tent. And then saw men standing around us. Ron let out a cry and ran. Harry and I followed.

"Don't just stand there," the leader said. "Go and get them."

We heard pursuit behind us and we ran faster. I was beside Harry and Ron when they started shooting spells at us.

I cried out in shock as one hit a tree near me. We ran down a hill and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ron fall. But I couldn't stop. I had to keep running. Harry had to keep running.

At the bottom of the hill, I stopped and saw that I was surrounded. I turned and saw Harry running behind me. He slowed down when he saw me.

Desperately, I raised my wand and aimed at his face. And shot out a Stinging Hex.

He flew to the ground, gasping in pain. I ran to him and fell to my knees, pulling off his glasses and put them in my pocket as I wrenched to my feet.

They couldn't know it was Harry. They would call Voldemort and we would all die. This would all have been a waste. They can't know.

"What happened to you, Ugly?" the leader asked Harry, who was being held by someone who looked like Fenrir Greyback. Greyback looked at the leader at the same as Harry. The leader immediately said, "No, not you."

The leader moved to Harry and took a look at his face. His eyes widened when they roved over his forehead.

"Scabior, we ought to take this lot to the Ministry," one of the Snatchers said in a gravelly voice, but Scabior seemed not to hear him.

Pushing back Harry's bangs, his face became that of disbelief as Harry cried out in pain at the touch of Scabiors hand on his forehead.

His scar must hurt, I thought wildly as I struggled to free myself from my captor. Ron was beside me, struggling just as hard as I was.

"Change of plans," Scabior whispered. "We're not taking them to the Ministry."

We Disapparated and we suddenly found ourselves in front of a large manor house. We walked to large wrought iron gates and found three people waiting for us. One was Bellatrix Lestrange. I cringed as they pulled Harry to the gate. Bellatrix put her face to the gate, looked at Harry when Scabior pulled back his bangs, and whispered, "Get Draco."


	4. Little Hero

"Take the boys downstairs," Bellatrix said, breathing heavily, staring me in the eyes. I cringed, knowing what she was going to do. I heard Ron fight, trying to free himself to get to me, but his captors were too strong.

As soon as they were gone, Bellatrix reared back and struck me in the face.

I staggered sideways, clutching my face.

"Where did you get that sword?" she screamed at me. "Where? Did you get into my vault at Gringotts? Did you? Did you steal it? Did you? TELL ME!"

She struck me again, so hard this time, I fell. Sobs racked my body.

"We didn't steal anything!" I cried as she slapped me again.

"Don't lie to me!" she shrieked. She pointed her wand at me and screamed, "CRUCIO!"

Fire, burning fire running through my body. I couldn't breathe, only scream. She screamed "CRUCIO" again, and I screamed louder.

"That sword is meant to be in my vault at Gringotts, how did you get it?" Bellatrix whispered as she stood over me, her wand pointed at my chest. "What else did you and your friends take from _my vault_?"

"Please…we didn't take anything," I sobbed. "Please. I didn't take anything."

"I don't believe it."

She pointed her wand at me again and screamed, "CRUCIO!"

I was on fire again, my screams echoing through the room. I was writhing on the floor in pain. Pain so unbearable, I was wondering when I was going to die.

Below, I thought I heard Ron screaming my name, but I couldn't really tell.

Bellatrix's foot collided with my side and I curled in on myself, crying.

Next thing I knew, she was on top of me, her face inches from mine.

"Did you take anything else?" she asked me in her evil voice. "Tell me!"

"We didn't take anything," I sobbed. "We didn't. I swear…"

She harrumphed and pulled the sleeve of my jacket up. Then I felt her wand tip on my forearm and a searing pain.

I shrieked and kicked, trying to get her off of me, but she held fast.

She carved something into my arm, but the pain was unbearable and I felt myself slipping. I looked at the words now carved into my flesh: Mudblood.

"Get the goblin," Bellatrix ordered someone.

A few moments later, I heard thumping up the stairs and Bellatrix said, "Is this the real sword of Gryffindor?"

"No. It is a fake," the goblin replied in his gravelly voice.

Bellatrix breathed a small sigh of relief. "Consider yourself lucky, Goblin," she breathed as she sliced her dagger across his face. She stood and walked to me. "The same can't be said for this one."

"Like hell!"

Ron and Harry charged forward and disarmed Bellatrix. Then they began fighting Narcissa and Draco. I heard Harry shout a Stunning Spell at Lucius, where he landed with a crash onto a table.

While Ron and Harry fought Narcissa and Draco, Bellatrix dragged me to my feet, her knife pressing against my throat. In the back of my mind, I could feel my arm throb.

"STOP!" she yelled.

The fighting ceased when they saw the knife at me throat. I could feel the cold tip cutting my skin and a small trickle of blood oozing down my neck. She held my head back, my throat fully exposed. My gaze was on the chandelier that was right above us.

And the elf that was slowly unscrewing it.

The sound of bolts being loosened caused everyone to look up. Just in time for the chandelier to fall.

Bellatrix stumbled back, letting me go.

I ran forward, right into Ron's arms. He caught me and we stumbled back to where Harry, the goblin, and Dobby stood, waiting.

"Stupid elf! You could've killed me!" Bellatrix shrieked at Dobby.

"Dobby never meant to kill anyone! Only maim…or seriously injure," Dobby said.

Narcissa raised her wand, but Dobby disarmed her.

"How dare you take a witches wand!" Bellatrix screamed indignantly. "How dare you defy your masters!"

Dobby, still holding Narcissa's wand, stood tall and said, "Dobby has no masters. Dobby is a free elf. And Dobby is here to safe Harry Potter and his friends."

With that, Dobby held out his hands, which we all took and Disapparated.

The feeling of suffocation was almost unbearable, but then I was on sand, still in Ron's arms. I was shaking uncontrollably.

"Dobby, is this Shell Cottage?" I heard Harry ask.

I looked around and saw Dobby hunched over, clutching his chest. I felt the breath leave me. No! I thought desperately.

"Dobby?" Harry asked again. He turned and saw Dobby and ran just as Dobby collapsed into Harry's arms. "Dobby!"

"Harry Potter…" Dobby said.

Harry pulled the dagger out of his chest and tossed it aside.

"Hold on, Dobby," Harry said desperately. "We'll fix this. We'll fix this. Hermione, have you got something? Hermione?"

I just stared at him, tears beginning to pour out of my eyes. I knew I couldn't do anything for him. There was nothing to do. Dobby was going to….

"Hermione…? Her…." Harry trailed off, staring at me. "Help me!"

But all I could do was shake my head.

"Harry Potter."

Harry looked down at Dobby's small form, tears running down his face.

"Such a beautiful place," Dobby said, a small smile on his face, "to be with friends. Dobby is happy…to be with his friend. Harry Potter."

I felt sobs raking my body once more for the little elf.

"Harry…Potter…"

And he moved no more.

Dobby, our little hero…was gone.


	5. You Saved Me

**Right. Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I own the plotline, but not characters. Those would be the infamous J.K. Rowling's!**

**Hey...think she knows we write fanfics about her awesome characters? And what if she READS them? **

**Sorry...Rambled about something completely different...**

**Enjoy Chapter 5 of Haunted!**

* * *

After Harry buried Dobby, we all went back inside. Everyone except Harry. He stayed where the new mound was. As we walked away, I had turned and saw him carving something into a rock. It read: Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf.

Fresh tears pricked my eyes when I saw that. I turned and huddled closer to Ron. I didn't want him to let me go.

What happened earlier was brought fresh to my mind and shuddered. Ron felt it and looked at me.

"You alright, Hermione?" he asked me in a low voice.

I shook my head. "No, Ron. She…she…." But I couldn't go on. I couldn't say what was now permanently carved into my arm. I knew it was permanent. It was Dark Magic. That can't be fixed.

"What?" Ron asked as we stepped over the threshold into the small kitchen.

But I collapsed, the weight of what had just happened finally hitting me.

I heard Ron call out, but it was as if I heard it through water. It sounded dim. And then…black.

* * *

Xxxx xxxx xxxxx

"D'you think she'll be alright?" I heard someone ask.

"I dunno, Ron," said someone else. "She was tortured. She may take a while to heal. Physically and mentally."

My eyes fluttered and I mumbled, "Ron."

"I'm here, 'Mione. I'm here." I felt his hand on mine. I smiled.

My eyes opened and all I saw was Ron.

"I'm okay, Ron. Really." I sat up and winced. My arm had been bound and I had a splitting headache. "Where's Harry?"

"Here."

I saw Harry behind Ron and I said, "Harry, I'm sorry. But there was nothing I could do!"

"It's okay, Hermione," Harry said softly. "Really. I know that."

I nodded and saw Bill and Fleur out of the corner of my eye.

"Thank you," I said.

"For what?" Bill asked.

"For taking us in," I said. Harry nodded, but Ron never took his eyes from mine.

"It's nothing, Hermione." But I could see Bill looking at Harry tensely. And though he didn't ask questions now, I knew he was going to ask Harry later.

"I need to get up," I said. "I need to move around."

They obliged and Ron helped me out of the bed I had been laying in. I staggered a bit, but Ron held me up.

"C'mon. Let's go take a walk outside," Ron murmured to me.

I didn't disagree with him.

As we slowly walked, Ron put his arm around me.

"Hermione?" he asked me quietly.

"Yes?"

"Hermione, what did…what did she do to your arm?"

I reached for my arm and pulled back the sleeve. I hadn't seen it since it was freshly carved in.

It was red around the words. It looked angry and it still stung, but it didn't hurt as bad as it had.

"She carved it…into your skin…." Ron looked angry, but he also looked sad.

"It's okay. I'm proud to be a Mudblood," I said. And I was. There was nothing wrong with my being a Mudblood. There was nothing for me to be ashamed of. Ever.

I looked at my arm once more then pulled my sleeve back over it.

"Does it hurt, 'Mione?" he asked me gently.

I shook my head. "Not like before."

"What did she do to you?" he asked me in a tortured whisper.

"Something you don't want to know."

We walked in silence.

"I was scared for you, 'Mione."

"I know."

"Do you?" He stopped, and so did I. he looked me right in the eye.

"Yes." I looked right back. "I heard you. And you saved me."

He dropped his head. "But not soon enough."

"So I got a few scars," I said huffily. "I'll live. Obviously."

Ron grinned. "There's my Hermione."

I blushed. It was completely irrational of me to think he really meant that I was his. No matter how much I wish it was true.

After we spent less than a day at Shell Cottage with Bill and Fleur, in total safety, Harry called Ron and me together and we talked about how Bellatrix got scared when she thought we broke into her vault at Gringotts.

"It was very strange," I admitted. Then I said, "I have a hair of hers."

Ron and Harry both looked at me.

"What?" Harry said.

I nodded. "It fell on me while she was talking to Griphook."

Harry looked triumphant. "Look, I think there's a Horcrux in her vault. I do. Why else would she be so terrified that we broke in?"

"You have a point," Ron mused. "What d'you reckon it is?"

"We destroyed the locket," Harry said. He stood and began pacing. "Dumbledore destroyed the ring and then the diary is destroyed. That leaves something of Ravenclaw and something of Hufflepuff. Maybe Nagini. And then You-Know-Who himself."

I nodded. "So…something has to be in there."

"How we gonna do it?" Ron asked Harry.

"We have Bellatrix's wand," Harry said, nodding to me. It was in my bag. "And Hermione, you've got a piece of her hair. All we need is a disguise for me and you, Ron, and Polyjuice Potion."

"We still have some," I said, suddenly remembering we had maybe enough left for one person. "But I think it's enough for only one of us."

"Right. Well that'll work," Harry said. "C'mon. I want to talk to Griphook and Mr. Ollivander."

We first talked to Mr. Ollivander. As soon as he was better, he was being to Ron's Auntie Muriel's since her house was bigger. He was the first priority, according to Harry.

Harry asked him about Voldemort and his wand. Then Harry wanted to know if his wand could be fixed, but Mr. Ollivander said it couldn't. The last thing Harry asked was if Mr. Ollivander knew about the Deathly Hallows. Mr. Ollivander hadn't the faintest idea, and we left him to rest. And then it was Griphooks turn.

"You knew the sword was real, Mr. Potter," Griphook said in his gravelly voice, "otherwise, you wouldn't have asked me to lie for you."

"Yes. We knew it was real," Harry said. "Do you know what it's in the Lestranges vault?"

Griphook looked at Harry for a moment, as if almost assessing him.

"You are very strange, Mr. Potter," he finally said. "You saved a goblin and buried an elf. Most wizards would not do half as much as that. You are very strange," he said again.

"Yes," harry said impatiently. "But do you know what is in their vault."

"Yes."

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Well, what's in it?"

"I can't tell you," Griphook said. "That is not something we goblin's tell anyone."

Harry beckoned for Ron and me to follow him and he said, "We need to get into Gringotts and we need him. What should we do?"

"Ask him to help?" Ron suggested.

We walked back in and Harry finally said, "Griphook, we need to get into their vault. But we'll need your help."

"You want a goblin to break into a vault?" Griphook asked. "You cannot do this, Mr. Potter. If you seek something that is not yours-"

"Then we'll be locked up, right, I got it," Harry said impatiently. "But we need your help. We'll…we'll pay you."

Griphook's eyes narrowed and then he smiled wickedly. "If I do this, I want the sword of Gryffindor."

Harry, Ron and I exchanged glances. We need that sword!

Harry excused us again and I said, "We can't give him that sword! This is ridiculous, Harry!"

"No, look," Harry said excitedly, "we can promise him the sword…but not tell him when he'll get it."

"And this is why goblins despise wizards so much!" I said hotly. "Wizards have always double-crossed them and –"

"Give it a rest, Hermione," Ron said. "Harry's right. We'll tell him we'll give him the sword, just not when."

I narrowed my eyes angrily, but didn't say anything more.

Really! This is exactly why they dislike wizards! I thought as we trouped back into the room. Wizards always double-crossed them! And goblins don't like the idea that we pass goblin-made things down.

I snorted as we walked out after Griphook agreed.

"This is wrong," I said as we made our way downstairs for dinner.

"Harry, can I talk to you for a minute?" Bill asked a few weeks later.

I watched as Bill led Harry out of the room and to the kitchen. Fleur followed not to long after, but she back out again not a second later.

Hmm. Must be serious.

I looked back at Remus. He'd just told us that he and Tonks had their baby. His name: Theodore Remus Lupin. Remus asked Harry to be the godfather and Harry agreed.

I was beaming. Remus was a father!

"His hair's changing already!" Remus boasted eagerly. "Just like Dora!"

"And here he was worried the kid was gonna turn out like him," Ron muttered in my ear as Remus drank deeply from his glass of Firewhiskey.

I smiled slightly, taking a sip from my own glass.

It burned going down and I didn't care much for it, but I was thirsty and there was no Butterbeer around.

Later that night, Harry told us it was time. So we decided to do it the day after tomorrow. Fleur protested, saying that we were safe there, but Harry was right. We have to keep going.

So after carefully planning it out, we got ready for the break in at Gringotts.

* * *

**This is a tad long, but I hope that's alright. The last one was pretty short! But anyways...hope yer liked it!**

**Also, I feel I should note...you won't be seeing Ron called Hermione "'Mione." Why? Because I hate it. I don't know why, but I do. It's like, really annoying to me for some reason. But only if the need arises, such as moments like when I used it, will I use it. Yes. I'm weird. Whatever. Story of me life.**

**Anywho...hope ya liked it! And BTW...I LOVE reviews. Even if they're mean. So please...Review! **

**Thanks!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


	6. We Kind of Broke Into Gringotts

**Disclaimer: Characters are the amazing J.K. Rowlings.**

**Please Review!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**

* * *

After Harry told Bill and Fleur not to see us out tomorrow morning, we got ready.

I hardly slept that night. Somehow, knowing that I was going to look like Bellatrix Lestrange, made me cringe. I wouldn't really see myself, but still. I was going to look like her. I shuddered and finally drifted off.

Ron woke me up and we headed to the bathroom so I could get ready.

I put on the black robes, added her hair to the potion, and gulped it down. I made face as it made its way down.

"Ugh. She was disgusting," I said, handing the flask to Ron, who watched as I changed into Bellatrix.

"This is creepy," he said, handing me my bag.

"No kidding. Okay, come on," I said, poking my head out of the bathroom. It was completely silent in the house. I motioned to Ron, who followed closely behind me.

We shut the door quietly behind us and made our way to where Harry and Griphook were standing.

Harry had his back to us, and he was looking at his feet. He turned when he heard us coming.

I pulled a face. "She was disgusting," I said. He smiled.

"Right, Ron, come here," I said, pulling out her wand. And cringed again.

It felt…wrong. This wand felt evil. Like it was part of her. I could almost feel the evil of this wand seeping out onto me. I wanted to throw it, to never touch it again. Ever.

"This feels like her," I said, disgusted. I saw Harry's face twist a little in amusement. No doubt he was thinking about when I said a wand is only as good as a wizard. Okay. Maybe he was right. For once.

I pointed the wand at Ron's face and began to change it.  
"I don't want a big nose," he said. I shot him glare.

"Ron, it doesn't matter," I said huffily.

When he was changed, I checked my bag once more, checking to make sure we had everything, and watched as Griphook climbed onto Harry's shoulders. And then they disappeared under the Cloak.

"Right. Let's go." I held out my hands and felt Harry take one and Ron took the other.

I twisted and we were gone.

The usual suffocation, the squeezing of lungs, and then we were in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hermione, can you see my feet?" I heard Harry ask somewhere beside me. I look in the general direction of the ground and saw nothing.

"No, you're fine."

I heard him sigh in relief.

We started on our way through the little pub when Tom, the bartender, bowed and said, "Morning, Madam Lestrange."

"Good morning," I said to the shock of the bartender.

"You have to be meaner," Harry whispered.  
I nodded slightly. Right. Be mean. Oh, this was hard!

"Bellatrix!" I heard a voice call. We all turned and saw Travers, a Death Eater, walking towards us with a broad smile on his face.

"Hello, Travers," I said in as cold a voice as I could manage.

"What are you up to this morning?" he said cheerfully.

"I have to go to Gringotts," I said.

"Ah, alas, so do I," he said, falling into step beside Ron and me. "Who's your friend?"

I told Travers his fake name after we had decided on creating a fictional character.

"He sympathizes with the Dark Lord," I said in Bellatrix's voice. I wanted to cringe, knowing I sounded like her. God, I _looked_ like her! But I held the shudder in and continued to the Wizarding bank.

We were stopped at its doors by security wizards with Probity Probes. They searched Travers and were about to search Ron and I when I saw one of the wizards' eyes go unfocused.

The other was about to search us when I said, in a cold voice, "But you've already done that!"

The wizard with the probe looked confused and the Confunded wizard said, "I already checked them."

"Oh, right," the other wizard said, his eyes narrowed. He didn't trust us.

Ha! He didn't trust us! Why should he? To his eyes, we were Bellatrix Lestrange, a foreigner, and Travers. Two of us were notorious Death Eaters. He didn't trust us…..

I almost laughed aloud as we walked into the large room.

All around us, goblins worked, stamping things, weighing money and jewels. Many of them shot us cruel, cold looks. I kept my eyes averted, hoping they were as afraid of Bellatrix as the rest of the Wizarding world was. As it turns out, they weren't so much.

"I need to get into my vault," I said in a haughty voice to the goblin we chose.

He looked me over and said, in a shaky voice, "May I check your wand?"

I handed her wand over and he took it in shaking hands.

As the goblin looked it over, he suddenly said, "Ah, you've gotten a new wand, I see."

I looked at him in confusion. What?

Travers walked forward to see what appeared to be my new wand.

"Ah, yes," he said. "And do you find it works properly for you?"

"Erm, yes?" What the bloody hell were they talking about? And then it dawned on me: Harry Confunded them! "Yes, it's working quite well, thank you."

Travers nodded. "Right. Well, we need to go."  
A goblin walked forward, looking fearful. I instantly sympathized. But hey. At least he didn't look like this wretch of a witch.

We walked to the carts and the goblin walked away. Harry uncovered himself and Griphook, causing me to almost scream in panic at him.

"He's Confunded," Harry said at my worried look. Griphook climbed off Harry's shoulders and climbed into the cart. Travers followed, then Ron, then me, then Harry. And we were off.

We sped along the tracks, going further and further into the depths of the bank. It got chilly the farther down we went. I half expected to see Dementors show up, but none did, for which I was very grateful. And then something bad happened.

As we sped along, a waterfall appeared. Not having enough time to cover ourselves, we were soaked. And then I looked at Ron.

His face was back to being his and he was looking at me in horror. I must look like me again. Relief – oh, so tiny relief – flooded through me as I realized I no longer looked like her. But then we all looked back at Travers, who was shaking his head in confusion. Harry quickly said, "Imperio!" and Travers eyes became unfocused again.

"They know there's an intruder," Griphook said as we sped along.

Really? We had no idea, I thought bitterly. I was so ready to be rid of this horrible little goblin.

Finally, a few minutes later, we stopped. And I almost screamed.

There, standing more than fifty feet tall, was a dragon. A real life dragon. It had a chain leash around its neck and it stared blankly ahead.

It's blind, I realized as we inched passed it.

Travers leaving at a brisk pace caught my eye and I looked at Harry.  
"What-?"

"He's hiding himself," Harry said, sounding breathless.

Someone's worried! I almost burst into laughter as I thought this. Oh, stress is going to my head…..

I shook myself mentally and said, "Right. Now let's see what's in here."

Griphook opened the door and we stood back as the vault door slowly opened with a low groan.

Holy mother of Merlin…, I thought, seeing all the gold and other valuables hidden inside.

"Remember," Harry said, looking around the vault carefully, "something of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."

The sounds of footsteps reached my ears and I spun, panicked.

"Harry, I think I hear voices," I said urgently, edging over to him.

We all turned and then I muttered, "Protego" in hopes that it would stop spells that might be sent our way.

"Right, come on," Harry said once more. "We've got to find it."

"Hey, what about – ARGH!" Ron cried out, dropping a jeweled goblet. It immediately erupted into twenty more goblets. Ron had angry welts appearing on his hand and he stepped back, touching the goblets, causing more to appear.

"It's Gemino and Flagrante Curses!" I said, looking around. "Everything we touch will burn and multiply until we're buried in treasure!"

"Come on," Harry urged. "Just…don't touch anything."

At that moment, Ron's foot nudged another fake goblet, causing another twenty to appear.

We looked and kept touching things. If we touched the gold, more would appear and burn us. And then Harry cried out triumphantly.

"I found it!" He pointed towards the ceiling and there, glistening gold, sat a cup with the Hufflepuff emblem on it. "It's there, it's up there!"

"And how the bloody hell are we supposed to get it if we can't touch anything?" Ron demanded, clearly frustrated.

This was ridiculous! There was no way to get this stupid cup without getting buried in stupid treasure!

"Accio cup!" I cried desperately, completely forgetting what Griphook had told us in our planning.

"Hermione, help!" Harry cried as we slowly kept getting buried.

Lifting the wand, I cried out, "Levicorpus!"

Harry was lifted off the ground and, taking the sword out, reached for the cup – and bumped a suit of armor. It erupted over Ron, Griphook, and me. We were beginning to get buried in burning gold. It was up to Ron and mine's neck and Griphook was nowhere to be seen. I looked up in time to see Harry grab the cup.

He cried out as it burned his flesh and erupted into twenty more cups, but he held fast.

"Impervius!" I screeched, hoping that it would keep us from getting burned from all the replicas that kept erupting into being.

And then someone screamed horribly. We were really getting buried. We needed to get out of here!

Reaching down, he pulled Griphook out first, then me, then Ron. But in the process, Harry's grip on the sword slackened and he dropped the sword, the cup still on the tip.

"Get it!" Harry cried. Griphook, who saw it first, reached for it at the same time as Harry. As Griphook had a hold of a hank of Harry's hair, I realized that Griphook never trusted us in the first place. He knew we were never going to give that sword up.

I watched as Harry pocketed the cup just as voices cried, "Thieves! Thieves! Help! Thieves!"

Griphook disappeared and Harry looked up at the dragon.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted at the oncoming goblins who were brandishing a sword.

"C'mon!" he called to us. "Relashio!" he then yelled, pointing his wand at the chains on the floor that tethered the dragon down.

"This way!" Harry yelled as the cuffs broke open. He was still shooting Stunning Spells over his shoulder as Ron, holding my upper arm, dragged me over to the dragon and Harry. But I was completely bewildered. Why were so close to a dragon?

"Harry, what are you doing?" I cried, really hoping he wasn't thinking what I knew he was. I did not want to ride on a dragons back!

"Get up, climb up! Come on!"

The dragon didn't seem to notice it was free yet as Harry pulled himself up onto the dragons back. I climbed up next, Harry helping me, and then Ron. And then, as soon as Ron was fully on its back, the dragon seemed to realize that it was free.

Terror flooded through me. We were going to get caught. This will all have been for nothing! I thought as the goblins got closer.

With a great swooshing noise, the dragon spread his wings – about forty feet – and we were rising. I clung to Ron as we rose, so afraid of heights as I was.

But even while I utterly terrified at that moment, I knew the dragon was not going to make it through the hole the dragon had began to blast through. I blasted the wall apart so as to help the dragon break free. I ducked to avoid the rubble. And then we were air-borne.

We flew for what seemed like hours over country and city alike.

Just when I was beginning to get chilled, wondering if this dragon was just going to fly forever, it began to descend.

"Is it just me, or is the dragon getting lower?" Ron called over the roar of the wind.

I looked down as we flew over a glassy lake.

"We have to get off," Harry shouted. "We'll jump off into the lake. On three. One – two – three!"

Squeezing my eyes shut, I held my breath as I slid off the dragons back. And free-fell for longer than I thought.

And I then I was plunging into cold. Slimy weeds and algae clung to me as I swam to the bank, where I collapsed next to Ron and Harry.

We were all gasping for breath, lying soaked on the bank. I lifted my head in time to see the dragon land on the other side. It dipped its mouth into the water and drank.

Harry staggered to his feet and, still sputtering and shuddering, he said all the protective enchantments. When he finished, he collapsed next to us where we just laid there, all trying to catch our breath. Then I sat up and dug the Essence of Dittany out of my bag. I dabbed some on my wounds then handed the bottle to Ron, who winced while he dabbed it on his and then it was Harry's turn. After I handed the bottle to Ron, I dug in my bag, grateful we thought of this, for three bottle of pumpkin juice and clean clothes for all of us.

Sometimes, it pays to be smart, I thought as I downed half the bottle of pumpkin juice. Then we changed and drank the rest of the juice.

"Well, on the upside," Ron finally said as he watched the skin on his hands regrow, "we got a Horcrux."

"Yes, but we don't have the sword," I said. I just wanted to collapse right there and sleep. For hours. But I couldn't. Not yet, anyways.

"Yeah. We don't have the sword," Ron said a little angrily. "Treacherous, little, double-crossing bleeder…."

I watched as Harry pulled the cup from his wet jacket pocket. Well, at least we can't wear the stupid thing, I thought as we all stared at it.

Then I remembered the dragon and my gaze was drawn to it on the opposite bank where it was still gulping down the water.

"What do you think will happen to it?' I wondered. "Do you think it'll be alright?"

"You sound like Hagrid, Hermione," Ron said, stretching out his arms. "It's a dragon. It can look after itself. Besides…it's us we need to worry about."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, confused.

"Well, see, I'm not sure if you _noticed _or not, and I _hate _to break it to you," Ron said sarcastically, "but we _kind _of broke into Gringotts and I'm _sure _they noticed that we did too."

And then suddenly, we all burst into completely uncontrollable laughter. I clutched my stomach, tears of mirth rolling my cheeks. My ribs started to ache and I really couldn't breathe. Beside me, Ron and Harry rolled around, laughing as hysterically as I was.

But then I finally got a hold of myself and, hiccupping, I said, "What are we going to do, though?" I asked them. "He'll know, won't he? You-Know-Who will know we know about his Horcruxes!"

Harry opened his mouth to respond but then he suddenly collapsed and Ron and I exchanged panicked looks.

"What d'you reckon he's seeing?" Ron asked, worry layering his voice.

"I don't know, but he should have stopped these!"I said, panic in my voice.

"Oh, Hermione, lay off it," Ron said. "You know he can't help these. And besides, what if they come in handy now?"

"Come in handy?" I asked in disbelief. "These are not something that can be handy, Ron!"  
"But what if they were?" he asked me. "Oh, come on! Think about it, Hermione! Harry has a look inside You-Know-Who's mind and then he says where the Horcruxes are and then – BAM! We got 'em!"

I was about to reply when Harry's eyes flew open and he sat up, his eyes wide.

"He knows," Harry said in a strangely calm voice. "He knows and he's going to go check where the rest are. And the last one," Harry added, getting to his feet, "is at Hogwarts. God, I knew it. I knew it!"

"What?"

Ron was gaping at him. I just stared at him, worried.

"But how do you know, Harry?" I asked. "What did you see?"

"I saw him finding out about the cup, I-I was in his head and he's-he's seriously angry. He's scared too, I think. He wants to check for the rest of them and he's going to find out they're gone. He'll check Hogwarts last, I think, because he thinks it's the safest."

"Did you see where in Hogwarts?" Ron asked, scrambling to his feet. I followed quickly.

"No, he just wanted to warn Snape he was coming."

I bit my lip. I knew what we were going to do and I really didn't think it was a good idea, but we had to. We have to destroy these blasted Horcruxes.

"So we're going, then?" Ron asked, looking from me to Harry. "We're going tonight?"

Harry nodded.

"Alright, then how are we supposed to get in?"I asked Harry.

He smiled grimly. "Hogsmeade."

* * *

**So this is rather long, isn't it? Yeah...I couldn't get this any shorter than this. And believe me...I tried.**

**Anyways...let me know what you think. Seriously. I LOVE reviews. Really, I do. So it is COMPLETELY fine to, ya know...review. So...please do.**

**Thanks!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


	7. IT WAS A GOAT!

We Disapparated and appeared in an empty street in what I immediately recognized as Hogsmeade.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by how much I missed Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

But just as I was wishing that I could go back, the air was rent by a heart stopping scream. And then many Death Eaters ran from what looked like the Three Broomstick, wands held aloft.

"Accio Cloak!" one of the Death Eaters yelled.

I saw Harry grab the Cloak, but it didn't even matter. The Cloak didn't make an attempt to move.

"Not under your Cloak, eh, Potter?" the one who tried to summon it. Then he turned to his fellow Death Eaters and said, "Spread out. He's 'ere."

Six Death Eaters ran forward, straight to us. I held my breath as they passed inches from us.

"Lets just get out of here," I whispered frantically. "Disapparate now!"

"I agree," Ron said.

"WE know you're here, Potter, and there's no getting away! We'll get you!"

"They were ready for us, you two," Harry whispered. "They set it up that spell so they'd know when we'd come. And I doubt we can even get out of here. They've probably put up a spell to trap us."

"Reckon we should call them Dementors?" asked another Death Eater. "Let 'em get Potter? They'd find 'im quick enough."

"The Dark Lord wants Potter alive and dead by his own hand," the leader said.

"Yeah, and they won't kill 'im," said the same Death Eater who suggested the idea. "They'll just suck 'is soul out. Besides, if he ain't got no soul, he'll be easier kill, won't he?"

Many of the other Death Eaters murmured in agreement.

Dread filled me. I was dreadful at the Patronus charm, and besides, if we all did the Patronus Charm, it would give us all away.

"We're going to have try to Disapparate, Harry!" I whispered to him.

But then sudden cold seeped into my very bones and I felt all the happiness drain from me. This was a folly trip. We were never going to find that Horcrux. This was a waste of time.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry whispered.

His stag erupted out of the end of his wand and charged down the street at Dementors I finally saw.

"Did you see that?"

"It was a stag," another Death Eater said. "That's him!"

"Quick, get in here," said a third voice from behind us. "Get upstairs, keep your Cloak on."

We all rushed inside and up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" said the first Death Eater.

"What? I told you I wasn't having any Dementors down my way," said the bartender. "You do that, and I'm gonna send a Patronus at 'em."

"Was that your Patronus?" the second Death eater asked. "It looked like a stag."

"A stag? Are you blind?" the bartender roared. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A goat erupted from the tip of his wand and ran down the road.

"So it wasn't you?" the first asked.

"It was me! Didn't I just tell you?" the bartender asked.

"But we saw a stag," the second said, sounding confused.

The bartender slapped his forehead. "THAT WAS A GOAT!"

"Alright, fine," said another Death Eater. "But curfew's been broken, you heard the noise. Someone was out on the street against regulations."

"Look, you moron, if I want to put my cat out, I will," the bartender snorted.

"So it was you that set off the Caterwauling Charm, was it?"

"So what if I did? What? You gonna arrest me? Send me off to Azkaban?" he asked mockingly. "D'you reckon your lovely Dark Lord will enjoy being called for me and my cat? No."

"Don't you worry about us," said a Death Eater, "you ought to worry about yerself."

"I stil say I saw a stag," the first Death Eater mumbled.

"IT'S A GOAT!"

"All right, we made a mistake," said the second Death Eater. "But next time, we won't be so lenient. Consider yourself lucky."

The bartender huffed a breath and slammed the door then turned to face us.

"Are you stupid?" he asked us angrily.

"How-how did you know?" Harry asked.

"What were you thinking, coming here?" the bartender asked as he dropped into a chair by the fireplace.

"Thank you," Harry said as he handed the Cloak to me so I could put it in the bag, but I shook my head.

"You might need it alter."

Shrugging, Harry tucked it under his jacket and turned back to the bartender.

"We can't thank you enough," he said. "You saved us."

The bartender grunted as Harry slowly approached him.

"It's your eye I've been seeing in the mirror!" Harry cried.

Ron and I exchanged curious looks. What mirror? He's been seeing an eye. Well, not creepy at all.

"And you sent Dobby."

"I did. Though he might be with you," the bartender said.

"Bellatrix Lestrange killed him," Harry said quietly.

The bartender looked impassive as he said, "Shame. I liked that elf."

He turned away, lighting lamps with his wand. He didn't look at us at all.

"You're Aberforth," Harry said suddenly to his back.

he didn't say anything while I bent to light a fire.

"How'd you get this?" harry asked, picking up a small mirror.

"Dung was selling it out here and I picked it up," the bartender said. "Albus told me what it was. I've been trying to keep an eye on you."

Ron suddenly gasped, causing me to look at him with worry.

"The silver doe!" he said excitedly. "Was that you too?"

"With brains like yours, you could be a Death Eater," Aberforth grunted. "Haven't I just proved my Patronus is a goat?"

"Well….it's not my fault!" Ron said defensively. "I'm hungry."

His stomach rumbled as if to give emphasis to the fact that he was hungry.

"I have food," Aberforth said dismissively. He left then and returned with food and three bottle of Butterbeer. He set it down on a table where we all flocked to the food.

"Right, so we got to get you guys out of here," Aberforth said as he watched us lazily. "We can wait til morning when the curfew lifts and you can put your Cloak on and be gone. Hide in the mountains or something. You might see Hagrid. He's been hiding there with that half-brother of his."

"We aren't leaving," Harry said. "We need to get into Hogwarts."

"Are you mental?" Aberforth asked.

"We have to," Harry replied.

"Whys that?"

"Dumbledore – I mean, your brother – wanted us to do something for him," Harry said.

"Did he?" Aberforth asked. "Well, I should tell you the people who tried to carry out Albus's plans usually got himself killed. You'll be the same way if you don't abandon whatever it is he told you to do."

"You don't understand," Harry persisted.

"Oh, I don't, do i?" Aberforth asked. "Think I don't know my own brother?"

"That's not what i-"

"Ever heard of my sister, Arianna?" Aberforth asked suddenly.

Harry, Ron, and I exchanged glances.

"Well, I should tell you about her, shouldn't i?"

Then, without preamble, he started to tell us everything when he was home from school. About when his brother met Grindlewald and planned to take over the world. But then their mother died because of their sister, the sister Muggles tortured. So Albus had to stay home with her, putting "world domination" plans on hold. But Grindlewald didn't wait and soon, he was back, telling Albus all about what he wanted to do. But Albus disagreed and suddenly, they were all fighting. Grindlewald, Albus, and Aberforth.

"Arianna tried to stop us," Aberforth said in a choked whisper. I want to comfort him, but what could I say? "And then, well…one of said a spell and the next thing we knew, she was dead. I don't know who it was. No one knows who sent that spell. But it doesn't matter. She was gone. Dead. Forever."

"I'm so sorry," I said, putting my hand on his arm. He was shaking.

"After that, Albus was finally free," Aberforth said, wiping his face on his sleeve. "Free of the burden of watching his deranged sister."

"He was never free," Harry said suddenly. We all looked at him.

"Pardon?" Aberforth asked.

"That night, well…he drank a potion that drove him out of his mind," Harry said. "He started screaming, pleasing with someone. 'Don't hurt them, please….hurt me instead.'"

Ron and I stared at Harry. He'd never told us anything about that night. I just assumed he never wanted to think about it, talk about it.

"He thought he was with Grindlewald and you, back to that day," Harry said.

"How can you be sure?" Aberforth said after a moment. "How can you be sure that aren't dispensable, like my sister?"

"He cared about Harry," I said angrily.

Harry shook his head, his eyes closed. "Look, we've a job to do and we have to get into Hogwarts. If you can't help, we'll wait til morning. But if you could help us, that would be great."

"There's only one way into the school now from here," Aberforth said, looking at the painting of a little girl. "They've blocked off every other secret passageway into the school. Except one."

He stood and walked to the portrait of Arianna. "You know what to do."

We all looked at him in confusion.

"What-?" Ron began.

"This is the only way," Aberforth repeated. "The school is heavily guarded. The Carrows are there, so watch out. They're Death Eaters. And evil."

But I was watching the portrait. Where did she go? But just as I thought this, I saw a small light appear and I watched as it got bigger and bigger.

"What the-?" I asked, staring at the painting.

And then I saw a person form. His face was horrible injured, cuts and bruises over almost every inch of his face. His hair was shaggy, but he was beaming.

"I knew you'd come! _I knew it, Harry!_"


	8. OI! THERE'S A WAR GOING ON HERE!

**Hope you all enjoyed my last chapters! And I know these ones just keep coming, but I can't help it! I'm so excited to finish it! **

**Anyways, this one is a bit longer than the rest, but...R&R! Pretty please with Ronald on top? Lol!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**

* * *

"Neville!" Harry cried, shocked.

Neville? What? How? Did he just come through a painting? I stared, dumbfounded, as Neville came out of the painting and took Harry in a tight embrace.

"I knew you'd come back!" Neville said, beaming. He looked at each one of us. His face was badly bruised, numerous cuts over his face and neck.

"Neville, what happened to you?" I asked him.

He shrugged, unconcered. "New discipline." Then he turned to Aberforth and said, "More people will be coming, Ab. Might wanna stay awake."

Aberforth grunted as Neville motioned for us to follow us.

I waved farewell to Aberforth, who merely grunted, nodding to me.

We climbed through the portrait and found ourselves in a dark tunnel. Neville lit his wand and we did the same. This was completely insane. We were really going to just waltz right back into Hogwarts, three of the most wanted wizards with the most wanted wizard. Besides Voldemort. But at that moment, I didn't really think he mattered, seeing as how the Ministry went over. Bloody insane, they were, letting Thicknesse be Minister. Morons. Idiots. Complete –

"So what have you been up to?" Neville asked as we made our way to…who knew where.

"We've been on an extended holiday," Ron joked. I cracked a smile while Harry's face was grim.

"What were you doing?" The incline of the path began to rise slightly.

"Never mind us," Harry said. "What's been happening here, Neville? And why are you covered in bruises?"

"You've heard of the Carrows, right?" Neville asked. We nodded. "Right, well, they've been in the charge of punishment. And they've stopped the detentions altogether. There's no more Muggle Studies. The girl, she teaches why we should be afraid of Muggles and how we should destroy them, blah, blah. But the brother teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts, only now it's just Dark Arts. Crabbe and Goyle are excelling there. They got all excited when they found out we had to do the Cruciatus curse on anyone who didn't listen. That's how I got this one," Neville added, pointed to a deep gash on his forehead.

"Blimey, Neville," Ron said, staring at his face.

"Yeah. And I got this," Neville said, pointing to an ugly bruise on the left side of his face, "for asking Alecto, the girl, how much Muggle blood she had in her. They don't like me much," he added with chagrin.

"Neville, there is a time to stand up for," Ron said, "and I think you chose the worst times."

Neville shrugged. "It's worth it."

He began to puff as the incline got really steep. And then we were suddenly in a crowded room with red, yellow, and blue hangings on almost every inch of the walls.

"Harry!"

"_Harry_!"

"It's HARRY!"  
"Ron!"

"_Hermione_!"

"Is this the Room of Requirement?" Ron asked, looking around the room.

Neville nodded and said, "Yeah. When it got really bad for me, I came here and just hid. There was a hammock and a bathroom, and it was really small. But then more of the guys started showing up and more hammocks appeared and the room got bigger."

"And when the girls came, there was a decent bathroom," Lavender Brown put in. My eyes swiveled to her and they narrowed. But she wasn't looking at Ron. She was looking at me, her face apologetic. My face was impassive as I turned my attention back to Neville.

"Yeah. We were all getting pretty fed up with the Carrows," Seamus said. "But tell us what you've been up to!"

I looked at Harry, who shrugged.

"We've been doing some stuff," Harry said vaguely.

Just as Seamus opened his mouth to ask what, someone else came through the portrait.

It was Dean, Luna, Ginny, Fred and George, Cho, and many, many other old D.A. people. I think I even saw Oliver Wood along with Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. Wow. Word travels fast.

Seamus roared when he saw Dean.

"What? How?" Harry asked.

Luna held up a fake galleon. "Neville told us."

I gaped. I completely forgot about those things! They'll come in handy!

"So…what's the plan, Harry?" Neville asked expectantly. All eyes turned to Harry and us. I felt uncomfortable. We weren't here to take the school back. We were here to find a Horcrux!

"Look, guys, we can't stay," Harry said anxiously.

"But…then why are you back?" someone asked. Terry Boot.

"Aren't we going to take down Snape and the Carrows?" Neville asked.

Harry shook his head then beckoned Neville forward and told him something that Ron and I couldn't hear over the noise. Neville paled and nodded, swallowing.

"Go, Harry," Neville said.

"What?" Terry asked. "What're you talking about?"

"Harry has something else to take care of," Neville said. "In the meantime, lets get ready to take our school back!"

"Listen, I need to get into Ravenclaw's tower," Harry said, looking around at all the people staring back at him.

"I can take you," Cho offered eagerly.

Ginny instantly shot that down. "Luna can take you, right Luna?"

"Ooh, yes, I'd love to!" Luna said. She took Harry's hand and began to tug him towards the door, Neville tagging along close behind.

"Be careful," I heard him warn Harry. "That door, well, it goes somewhere each time, so we never know where we are. Just…be careful."

Harry nodded and then he and Luna were gone.

Ron came over to my side and whispered, "I think I know what to do."

I turned to him, confused. "What?'

"We need something to destroy the Horcrux, right?" Ron asked me. I nodded. "The Chamber of Secrets."

I gasped. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Ron merely grinned and pulled me towards the door while shouting something about a bathroom over his shoulder.

As we neared Moaning Myrtles bathroom, I asked him, "So how do you plan on getting in? You don't know Parseltongue."

He shrugged as he pushed open the bathroom door. "I have an idea as to how to do it, Hermione."

I stood back and watched as he said something that sounded like strangling hissing. He looked up expectantly, but nothing happened. He frowned. Then he tried again. This time, it worked.

He stepped back to stand beside me and when the way was clear, he squeezed my hand and jumped down into the black hole. I followed quickly after.

We slid down a long tunnel. We fell for what seemed like hours, and then the tunnel bottomed out and shot out onto the ground.

I stood and brushed at my clothes.  
"Well that was fun," I grimaced. Ron began to walk forward and we saw a crumbling snake skin.

"Bloody hell, it's still here!" Ron said, surprised.

This snake skin had been here for over five years now. Ew.

"Come on, this way," Ron murmured, trudging forward once more. But then we stopped when we came to a door that was slightly open. Ron tugged it open and watched it swing back on its own accord with a low groan. When it was fully open, Ron led the way into what I assumed was the Chamber of Secrets.

I am going to where the evil snake that petrified me once lived. I'm so smart.

I climbed down after Ron, and he caught me when I slipped on the last rung.

I thanked him and turned around, taking in the vast chamber.

Ahead of us was a large head with its mouth open. Lining the walls were numerous stone snakes, mouths open in a permanent hiss. A stone walkway lay ahead of us and it was that that we walked on, heading straight for the moldering body of the giant snake.

"Merlin's beard," Ron said lowly. "That's a huge snake!"

"And Harry killed that?" I asked, slightly awed.

"He would've died if it wasn't for Dumbledore's bird," Ron said as we drew closer to the giant snake.

"That is true," I conceded as we finally reached it.

Ron knelt down, his nose wrinkled. "Disgusting."

My face twisted in disgust as Ron began wrenching basilisk fangs from its mouth with a sickening crunch.

"Oh, that's so disgusting," I said, horrified. But I, too, knelt down and helped him.

"How many d'you reckon we need?" he asked me, pulling another out.

"How many do we have?" I asked.

"I think we have five or six."

"That'll do."

Ron tehn took my bag and started digging in it.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, curious.

He didn't answer, only pulled out the Hufflepuff cup. He handed it to me, his face serious.

"Your turn to kill one, Hermione," he said.

I took the cup in shaking hands and stared down at it. Ron handed me a fang.

Gripping it tightly, my arm went back and then I was stabbing the Horcrux.

An odd shriek made its way out as it sort of…died.

When the Horcrux was destroyed, I tossed the used fang aside and said, "Well…that was interesting."

Ron laughed and we both stood, and made our way to the door.

"How are we going to get out?" Ron asked as we made our way back to the tunnel.

"Fly out, I guess," I suggested.

"How?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "Hold on to the basilisk fangs, will you?"

I saw Ron's arms tighten around the fangs he carried as I put the Hover Charm on him.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Ron muttered. Then he looked at me and said," And how do you plan to get out?"

"Go get a damned broom, Ronald," I said huffily. He grinned at me and when he was back in the bathroom, I heard him say, "Accio broom!"

I vaguely wondered where this broom might come from, but then I heard a noise and suddenly, Ron was diving down, back to me. He held his hand out and I climbed onto the broom behind him.

We zoomed out of the tunnel and back into the bathroom, where Moaning Myrtle was staring at us in shock.

"And what are you two doing back here?" she asked.

"Coming to save Hogwarts!" Ron teased. Myrtle narrowed her eyes suspiciously then she sighed.

"Well, I guess you're telling the truth," she said. "But you do know they know you're coming tonight, right?"

Ron and I exchanged startled looks.

"They do?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Being a ghost, I hear many things," she said importantly, puffing out her chest. "And Snape told some Carrow to go hide in the Ravenclaw tower for Harry Potter."

"Damn," Ron muttered.

"But…that's where Harry's just gone!" I cried. I tugged Ron's arm and we raced out of the bathroom.

"Dammit, Hermione, where's the bloody Ravenclaw house?" Ron shouted.

"I don't know!" I shouted back, running up the marble staircase. We rounded a corner and saw Harry and Luna both walking back, Professor McGonagall was walking in the opposite direction, telling the suits of armor to stand and defend its school. They all jumped to life and took protective stances.

"Luna, go back to the Room of Requirement," Harry said to Luna, who happily skipped off.

"Harry!" we both shouted together.

"Where the bloody have you been?" Harry asked us, seeing the fangs in our hands.

"We went to the Chamber of Secrets," I said.

"Yeah. I copied what you said," Ron told Harry. Then he mimicked the noise and Harry flinched. "And we went and got the fangs."

"Right, well, he knows I'm here," Harry said almost wearily. "He's on his way. And so are Death Eaters."

"Bloody…." Ron nodded, his face fierce. "What do we do?"

"McGonagall is telling the other teachers and they're setting up protective enchantments now," Harry explained. "She's sending the younger students home. If any are seventeen or older, they can stay and fight."

"Well, what about the house-elves?" Ron said suddenly, looking from me to Harry and back again.  
"What? You want them to fight?" I asked him, getting angry. See? Wizards always mistreat them! Always! And it will never –

"No. we should get them out of there," Ron said, determination in his voice. "We don't want any more Dobby's, do we?"

I didn't think.

The basilisk fangs clattering to the floor, I flung myself at Ron and kissed him full on the mouth.

Ron responded enthusiastically, the fangs dropping from his arms as well. He wrapped his now-empty arms around me and lifted me clean off the ground. I pressed myself closer to him.

I vaguely heard Harry saying something. And then –

"OI! THERE'S A WAR GOING ON HERE!" he shouted.

Ron and I pulled apart with some difficulty. We neither of us wanted that kiss to end.

I felt dazed and giddy and happy all at once.

Ron put me gently back on the floor and said, "Sorry, mate. But it's now or never, right?"

I blushed as I bent to pick up the fallen basilisk fangs. Ron knelt down too, his hands brushing mine every so often. I grinned.

When we stood, we made put the basilisk fangs into the bag and then made our way to the Great Hall where voices met us. And all eyes turned to us, and every mouth in that room dropped when they saw Harry walking in.

"That's Harry!"

"It's him! I swear it is!"

I started to grin. This was funny. No one knew about Harry being back except those in the Room of Requirement.

"Right," Professor McGonagall said over all the voices. The Hall immediately quieted. "Our headmaster has, to use the common term, done a bunk. I am now in charge. Now, all underage students, you will be escorted out of the school by your Heads of Houses. Gryffindor house, please go with-"

But just then, a voice, cold and menacing, rang through the Hall. Several students coward into each other.

"I know you are preparing to fight," he said, his voice reaching every corner of the room. "But I do not wish to spill magical blood. That is not my intention."

He paused for a moment.

"But if you had over Harry Potter, no will be killed," Voldemort said. "You have until midnight to present yourself, Potter. I will be waiting."

Silence.

And then someone screamed, "BUT HE'S THERE! POTTER'S THERE!"

It was Pansy Parkinson, pointing her shaking finger at Harry.

All at once, the Gryffindor house stood, wands raised, not at Harry, but at Pansy. Together, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw stood as well, their wands pointed at Pansy.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall said dryly. "You may lead the way out."

"Now, any student who is of age may stay," McGonagall continued while the whole Slytherin house trouped out. Then it was Ravenclaws turn. And the Hufflepuff and then, lastly, Gryffindor.

None was left of Slytherin, a few were left at both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff alike, but Gryffindor, almost ever seventh year stayed.

"Mr. Creevey, go, now!" McGonagall barked at the tiny sixth year. Collin unwillingly left with the rest of the Gryffindors, but something told me he was sneaking back to fight.

"Right. Hermione? Ron?" Harry said, pulling out his Invisibility Cloak. "Let's go get that Horcrux."

* * *

**Right. Like I said. It's rather long. But I hoped you liked it. **

**Hey? Wanna review for meh? I'll love you FOREVAH! Bahaha! Sorry. What can I say? I'm in a good mood today, which is PROBABLY why I wrote this. Right after I wrote the epilogue! Baha! And you can't read it yet! Nee, nee, nee, nee!**

**Okay...I'll let you go now. BUT FIRST! Review? Eh? Eh? Wanna review yet? Heh? I will LOVE YOU! ^_^**

**Right. I'm done now. Promise. REVIEW!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


	9. Battle of Hogwarts

We ran to the Room of Requirement, Harry told us about where Voldemort hid the lost diadem of Ravenclaw.

"He hid it where I hid my old Potions book," Harry panted. "It's where students have been hiding things for centuries. He thought he was the only one to find it. Come one."

As we raced towards the fifth floor, the walls trembled. I glanced up anxiously. It would be just the luck that those walls fell as we raced against time to the Room of Requirement to get the Horcrux.

"Here, here," Harry whispered. When we entered, it was empty but for three people. Ginny, Tonks, and Neville's grandmother.

"Ah, Potter," she said in a stight voice. "Tell us what's happening."

"Is everyone okay?" Ginny and Tonks asked anxiously together.

"As far as I know," Harry assured them. "Are there still people in the passage to the Hogs Head?"

Mrs. Longbottom shook her head. "I sealed it when I came through."

"Good," harry said.

"Now, have you seen my grandson?" Mrs. Longbottom asked.

"He was fighting last I saw," Harry told her.

Mrs. Longbottom nodded proudly. "Naturally."

She left and then Harry turned to Tonks and Ginny.

"I need you to leave please," Harry said. Without another word, Tonks sped off, probably hoping to find Remus. Ginny left as well, but Harry yelled, "But you have to come back, Ginny! Ginny!"

As we left the Room once more to get it into the Room we needed it to be, a large crash caught our attention. Grawp had stumbled onto the battle, calling for Hagrid.

"I hope he steps on them," Ron said visciously as screaming echoed from close by.

We walked past the wall three times and then the door appeared.

Harry wrenched the door open and we began our search.

"Look for a bust with a wig and a crown on top of it," Harry called from the rows.

"Lumos," I murmured, pointing it all around me. Where was this thing? And what did it even look like? This was ridiculous. "'Look for a bust with a wig and a crown on top of it,'" I mocked as I looked around.

And then I heard voices. One sounded like Harry, but the others….?

"Harry?" Ron called from far away. "Are you talking to someone?"

I wasn't the only one to hear it then.

I heard something crash to the floor. I looked up and saw a fifty-foot tall bookcase teeter. I dodged out of the way just as a large old chair landed where I had been standing not a moment before.

"RON!" I heard Harry bellow as the tower of bookcases began to crash against one another.

I heard someone scream "NO!" but I didn't know who it was and at that moment, I didn't care. Iw anted to get back to Harry and Ron and just get out of here. This place was starting to crash down. I ran towards the voices.

"Harry? What's going on?" Ron shouted again.

"Harry?" mimicked a high voice. "What's going – no, Potter! Crucio!"

I gasped. Was that-?

I heard something crash to the floor while someone else – Malfoy, it sounded like – screamed "STOP! The Dark Lord wants him alive!"

Malfoy? Crabbe? Goyle? Well that was fitting.

"So? I ain't killin' him, am I?" Crabbe asked, his voice echoing. "But if I can, I will. The Dark Lord wants him dead, so what the diff-?"

I shot around the corner and muttered, "Stupefy!"

A jet of red light shot out the end of my wand and missed by inches due to that fact that stupid Malfoy pulled him out of the way.

"It's that Mudblood! Avada Kedavra!"

Terror shot through me as I dived aside, barely missing the jet of green light. I looked up just as Harry sent a Stunning Spell at Crabbe, he leapt out of the way, knocking Malfoy's borrowed wand out of his hand.

"DON'T KILL HIM!" Malfoy screamed at Crabbed and Goyle, who were both aiming at Harry. They hesitated.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried. Goyle's wand flew out of his hand and jumped to try and get it.

Taking my chance, I aimed a Stunning Spell at Malfoy, who jumped out of the way. And then Ron suddenly appeared and shouted, "Petrifcus Totalus!"

Crabbe jumped, dodging it. He spun and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" again. Ron dived out of the way to avoid the jet of green light, knocking into an old wardrobe where a wandless Malfoy cowered. I swore I saw Ron roll his eyes at the pathetic sight.

Charging towards them, I hit Goyle with a Stunning Spell, sending him keeling backwards. I flashed a grin as I skidded next to Harry.

"It's here somewhere!" Harry cried, pointing at a junk pile where he thought the tiara had fallen. "Look for it while I go help R-"

"HARRY!" I screamed.

Harry spun just as a large, out of control fire raged behind him. Ron and Crabbe were running hard and fast up the aisle towards us.

"Like it hot, scum?" he roared as he ran.

Oh, what did he just do? You can't put out fiendfyre! The flames were licking the bookcases, engulfing everything in a vast, hot fire.

"Aquamenti!" Harry cried, pointing his wand at the wall of fire. Water shot out of his wand, but before it reached the fire, it evaporated into the air.

"RUN!" I screamed.

Malfoy reached down and grabbed the Stunned Goyle and dragged him; Crabbe outstripped us all, now lookin horribly terrified.

As he should! I thought angrily. That moron started an unstoppable fire!

Before we knew it, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had vanished from sight, so we had no clue where they were. The fire was enclosing around us in a circle, forcing us to spin, looking for a way out.

"Oh, what can we do?" I screamed desperately over the deafening roar of the fire. "What can we do?"

"Here!"

Harry grabbed two broom from a nearby pile of junk. He hand one to Ron, who grabbed me. I climbed on behind him just as we shot into the air over the fire. Harry circled around, looking for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, I knew.

No one deserved to die like this, I thought as I clung to a sweating and panting Ron. Not like this. Never like this.

"Harry, let's get out of here!" Ron bellowed at Harry even though the door was no where to be found in the dense smoke.

And a pitiful scream rent through the air over the fire and Harry dived.

"It's – too – dangerous!" Ron shouted aftered him, but it was too late. Harry was gone, searching for the three boys.

I heard Ron sigh before he too dived. I clung desperately to him, not wanting to fall off. I put my head between his shoulders and clenched my eyes shut. I did not like it up here. I did not like this. Not one bit.

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" Ron roared. I flinched. Ron grabbed Goyle and I helped him drag the unconscious boy onto the back of the broom. Harry had Malfoy, who was screaming for Harry to go.

"What are you doing? The door's that way!" Malfoy was screaming at Harry.

I turned around just in time to see Harry dive after the falling diadem.

No! It'll be destroyed! I wanted to scream, but the smoke was causing me to cough and gag horribly.

I felt Ron's sweaty hand squeeze mine.

"Almost there, Hermione!" he shouted over the fire. "Almost there."

I smiled a small smile at the thought of getting out of here.

We dove out the Room just as the door swung open. We crashed to the floor, where Ron and I rolled off, coughing and sputtering into the fresh, clean air. I gasped it all in.

Lifting myself onto my knees, I heard Malfoy gagging.

"C-Crabbe," Malfoy choked, crawling away on the stone floor. "C-Crabbe….."

"Dead," Ron said in a harsh voice.

Silence.

The sound of galloping and a screams caused all of our heads to snap up.

The Headless Hunt charged through, screaming in a blind bloodlust.

I looked around and saw that the battle was still raging outside. Screams, terrible, horrible screams, made their way up to us. Terrified, I looked to Harry.

"Where's Ginny?" he asked in a sharp voice. "She was here. She was supposed to stay here so she could go back to the Room!"

"D'you reckon it'll still work after that?" Ron asked. He rubbed his chest, still coughing. "Should we split up and look for her?"

"No," I said as I too got to my feet. Malfoy and Goyle just stayed slumped on the floor. "We stick together. I say we go – Harry, what's on your arm?"

I had just saw that he had the diadem on his arm. He pulled it off and looked at it. A black, blood-like thing was running out of it.

"That was fiendfyre," I told them.

"Sorry?" Ron asked, confused.

"Cursed fire," I explained, edging closer to the diadem. I saw the words Wit Beyond Measure Is A Man's Greatest Treasure etched on it. "It's one of the things that can destroy a Horcrux. But I would never have dared use it. It's so dangerous."

Ron and Harry stared at the diadem as a thought occurred to me.

"You do realize that if we get the snake….?" I trailed off, hope bubbling inside me.

Harry opened his mouth to reply as yells and shouts of an unmistakable duel filled the hall. We all looked around, scared.

Terror filled every pore of my body: Death Eaters had gotten into the school. Fred and Percy backed into the hall, dueling masked, hooded men.

We ran forward to help as jets of light shot in every direction. The man Percy was duelin back off quickly. And then his hood slipped and we glimpsed his face.

"Hello, Minister!" Percy bellowed joyfully, sending a jinx right at Thicknesse. "Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking!" Fred shouted as the Death Eater he was fighting collapsed under the weight of three different Stunning Spells. Thicknesse fell to the ground, spikes erupting all over him. I presumed it was from Percy's spell he had hit him with. Fred looked at Percy gleefully.

"You actually are joking, Perce!" Fred laughed. "I don't think I've heard you joke since you were -"

With a boom, the air exploded. We were grouped together, all of us. The world rent apart and the walls exploded, sending rubble and large chunks of wall into the air.

I felt myself fly into the air, a scream stuck in my throat as I landed with a solid thud. I covered my head as bits of wall slammed into me. Screams from everyone ripped through the air. I was terrified. No one was seriously hurt, right? Right?

When the rubble stopped falling, I pulled myself out from under the fallen wall. The cool night air bombarded me. The battle outside was still raging…but my world ended when I heard two horrible screams of agony rent the air, causing my insides to turn to ice. No, no, no….

I stumbled towards the three red-headed boys grouped together.

"No – no – no!" someone shouted. "No! FRED! NO!"

I saw Percy shaking his brother and Ron was kneeling beside them both. I saw tear tracks run down his cheeks. My eyes moved slowly to Fred and my heart stopped, my breathing hitched. No.

Fred's eyes stared unseeing ahead, the ghost of his last laugh still etched on his face.

No…..


	10. We're The Only Ones Who Can End This

**Sorry for such a long time between the two chapters! So much has been going on! Hope every one had a Happy Christmas and I'm THRILLED that I got this up BEFORE 2011! Haha!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING...but Hermione's thoughts that I've made up!**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**

* * *

Time seemed to freeze. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't believe it. Fred…was gone. Forever. Something wasn't right. My mind…it was playing tricks, right? Right? Because there was no way Fred could be –

Someone screaming as they fell past the gaping hole brought me back to earth.

"Get down!" Harry shouted as curses flew past us. I felt two pairs of hands on me, pulling me to the floor. I looked up and saw Percy still lying across Fred's body, almost as if he were shielding it.

"Percy, come one, we've got to move!" Harry shouted at him, but he just shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "Percy!"

I looked at Ron when I heard a choked sob as he reached for his older brother. Tears stained his cheeks as he tried to pull Percy off of Fred, but Percy clung tight.

I wanted to sob, to let me knees that were shaking horribly to collapse and never get up again. I was suddenly tired, exhausted, as if the past eight months were coming back to me full force.

"Percy, you can't do anything for him! We're going to –"

The whole time Harry was shouting at Percy, something climbing into the hole in the wall caught my eye. It's large, hairy leg poked through and I screamed loudly.

Harry broke off and all eyes turned to the hole.

Aragog's family had joined the fight.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ron and Harry both lift their wands and shout, their spells colliding with the spider, throwing it backwards into the night.

"It brought friends!" Harry cried to us as he glanced over the castle.

I watched as curse after curse was thrown through the night, hitting nothing, hitting people, and hitting the castle.

Looking out at the Forbidden Forest, I saw great masses of spiders not only gratefully leaving the forest to fight. And most of them were climbing up the castle walls. I stumbled away from the wall as Harry blasted one with a spell, making it fall from the wall, colliding into its fellows as it fell.

Suddenly, more curses were flying up at us that Harry had to duck for fear of getting struck.

"Let's move, NOW!"

Harry pushed me ahead of him, Ron following close behind me. I turned to look back and saw Harry grabbing under Fred's arm. It took Percy a moment to realize what Harry was doing, but he was soon helping Harry hide him. And then they were running with us. And then we stopped. The end of the hall, through the dust, were many people running backwards. Percy shoved me aside as he yelled, "ROOKWOOD!"

He ran after him, pursing he man who was chasing students.

"Harry, in here!" I shouted as I spotted a tapestry that was really covering a secret passageway.

I pulled Ron into the passageway, but he fought against me. I tried to keep hold of him while his face contorted with rage, struggling against me.

"Listen to me – LISTEN, RON!"

"I wanna help – I wanna kill Death Eaters – "

His face was nothing but rage and grief as he fought against me. I wanted to let him go. I wanted to fight with him, to avenge Fred. But not now! We needed to find that blasted snake!

"Ron, we're the only ones who can end this! Please – Ron – we need the snake, we've got to kill the snake!" I screamed.

He continued to fight, ignoring me, as he kept struggling. I saw Harry's face and knew he wanted what Ron and I both wanted: to kill. And then his face changed, fear taking over his enraged features. I knew what he was thinking of: Ginny.

"We will fight!" I told Ron as he kept resisting. "We'll have to, to reach the snake! But let's not lose sight now of what we're supposed to be d-doing! We're the only ones who can end it!"

The tears were flowing freely now and I had to wipe my face on my singed sleeve as I took deep, calming breaths, still keeping a tight hold of Ron.

I turned to Harry and said, "You need to find out where Voldemort is, Harry, because he'll have the snake with him, won't he? Do it Harry – look inside him!"

I don't where the idea came from, but somehow I knew that now was the time for Harry to look, to see inside his mind. They must be so very connected right now, what with the fight going on, both so close to each other. I shuddered as Harry closed his eyes.

What seemed like hours later, Harry let out a gasp, his eyes wrenching open.

"He's in the Shrieking Shack! The snake's with him, it's got some sort of magical protection around it. He's just send Lucius Malfoy to find Snape."

I stared at Harry in disbelief. Really? He was just…sitting there? He wasn't even fight? I voiced this to Harry, who shook his head angrily.

"He doesn't think he needs to fight," Harry said. "He thinks I'm just going to go to him!"

"But…why?"

"He knows I'm after the Horcruxes and he's keeping Nagini close to him – obviously, I'm going to have to go to him to get near the bloody thing – "

"Right," Ron said as he squared his shoulders. "So you can't go, that's what he wants, right? He's expecting it. So you stay here, look after Hermione, and I'll go and get it – "

"You two stay here, I'll go under the Cloak and I'll be back as soon as I can," Harry said, cutting off Ron, but I cut off Harry.

"No," I said, determined, "it makes much more sense if I take the Cloak and – "

"Don't' even think about it," Ron snarled at me. I shot him a look and said, "Ron, I'm just as capable - "

Suddenly, the tapestry that we were standing behind was ripped open.

"POTTER!"

Two masked Death Eaters stood there, but just as they raised their wands, I shouted, "Glisseo!"

The stairs beneath our feet turned into a slide and we all hurtled down it, unable to control the speed, but we were soon out of reach of the Stunning Spells the Death Eaters were shooting at us.

We shot through the other tapestry at the bottom, and as we spun to a stop, I turned and shouted, "Duro!" at the tapestry, turning it to stone. Loud sickening crunches came out from behind it as the Death Eaters hit the stone.

"Get back!" Ron shouted. We all dived to a door, flattening ourselves against it as a herd of galloping desk past, herded by a sprinting Professor McGonagall. Her hair had come down and there were several gashes on her face. She turned the corner and shouted, "CHARGE!"

"Harry, you can get the Cloak on," I said, thinking ahead. Maybe, if we can get Harry out of here, no one will really care much about Ron and I. after all, it's only Harry they want. "Never mind us –"

But then he threw it over all of us. But we were all so big now that our feet showed, but I doubted anyone would notice.

We ran down the stair case and found ourselves surrouned by duelers. As I watched, I saw Dean win a wand from Dolohov and it looked like Parvati was fighting Travers. As one, we raised our wands, reading to strike if we needed to, but the duelers were moving around so much that there was a very good chance they were going to end up hurting one of their own.

Over us, we heard someone cackling. Looking up, I saw Peeves zooming over us, dropping Snargaluff pods down onto the Death Eaters, whose heads were suddenly covered in slime.

"Argh!"

A fistful of tubers had hit the Cloak over Ron's head; the slimy green roots were suspended in air as Ron tried to shake them loose.

I shot a fearful look at the Death Eaters as one shouted, "Someone's invisible!"

I saw Dean make the most of the distracted Death Eater, knocking out a Death Eater with a Stunning Spell. Dolohov tried to retaliate, but Parvati got him with a Body-Bind Curse.

"LET'S GO!" Harry shouted at us. We gathered the Cloak tighter around us and ran through the fighters, towards the top of the marble staircase that led into the entrance hall.

"I'm Draco Malfoy! I'm Draco! I'm on your side!"

Malfoy was standing on the upper landing, pleading with the Death Eaters. Harry Stunned the Death Eater as we shot pasted. Malfoy looked around to see who had saved him, his face grateful, as Ron punched him hard.

"And that's the second time we've your ass, you two-faced bastard!" Ron yelled.

Duelers were everywhere. Looking over, I saw that a Death Eater was dueling Kingsley, who was holding his own, while students were all around, dragging injured friends away.3

I heard Harry shout a Stunning Spell but something else caught my eye.

Above us, two people were wrestling. They toppled over the banister and landed in front of us. A gray blur that looked like some disfigured animal ran on all fours to the other one who had fallen.

I knew who that was. Both of them!

"NO!" I shrieked, blasting Fenrir Greyback back off of Lavender, sending him flying through the air and hitting the marble banisters, breaking them. He struggled to his feet but a large orb cracked over his head and crumpled to his feet and didn't move.

"I have more!" Professor Trelawney shrieked from overhead. "More for any who want them!"  
She threw another and used her wand to direct it so it would smash through a window, striking another Death eater. At the same time, the entrance doors flew open to massive spiders who had forced their way in.

Screams of terror rent through the air as fighters scattered. Red and green jets flew into the oncoming monsters, who shuddered and reared, more horrifying than ever.

"How do we get out?" Ron yelled over the screaming, but before either Harry or I could answer, were shoved aside by a pink umbrella carrying Hagrid, who brandished it through the air, screaming that no one hurt them.

Even through all the fighting and screaming, I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes. Trust Hagrid to think of the monsters before the fighting.

But Harry screamed at Hagrid as he vanished amongst the spiders.

"HAGRID!"

Harry sprinted out from under the Cloak and neither Ron or I had a chance to grab him.

We ran after Harry, calling after him, desperate to get him back under the Cloak.

Finally, we caught up to Harry and tossed the Cloak over him as we watched Hagrid get carried away by the acromantula.

I looked around at the devastation that was Hogwarts and shrieked as a giant tried to seize people from windows above.

So they did get giants on their side, I though sadly. But I had to do something! I couldn't let him take people!

I raised my arm, but Ron caught it, yelling, "Don't! Stun him and he'll crush half the castle!"

"HAGGER?"

We spun just as Grawp lurched around a corner of the castle, calling out for his brother. I could finally see why Hagrid called Grawp a runt. Compared to the massive giant trying to seize people, Grawp was tiny. They both spotted each other and suddenly, they lunged, catching each other in a fight, crushing the steps beneath them.

"RUN!" Harry shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the steps, Ron close behind.

We had to get to Nagini! We had to! It was all that mattered! All that –

The air froze and breathing became near impossible.

Shadowy shapes floated through the darkness, their breath rattling eerily, their faces hooded, toward the castle.

I could tell Harry was close to falling, to not making it. I stood closer to him as did Ron. Together, we raised our wands and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Silvery wisps shot out of our wands, but they faded quickly.

"Come on, Harry!" I said, trying to encourage him to get his Patronus. "Patronuses, Harry, come on!"

I watched as he raised his wand, but I could tell he thought it was pointless. I began to agree.

No! We mustn't fail! Happy thoughts, Hermione, happy thoughts!

Ron….

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

An otter shot out, taking the Dementors head on, Ron's terrier following.

"HARRY, COME ON!" I screamed as we began to be surrounded by hundreds of Dementors. My otter faded and so did Ron's. Harry's wand shook and dropped. He wasn't able to do the Patronus, I realized, terrified.

Suddenly, a silver hare, boar, and fox soared past, straight at the Dementors. They fell back as the Patronuses drew near. Three more people stood at our sides: Luna, Seamus, and Ernie.

"That's right," Luna encouraged us soothingly. "That's right, Harry…come on, think of something happy…."

"Something happy?" Harry asked, his voice cracking.

I shook my head. Something happy. Come on, Hermione! Think! What makes you happy?

Flashes of Ron laughing floated to my mind. The Burrow. Christmas at Grimmauld Place. Dancing with Harry in the tent. Ron….

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I shouted at the same time as Harry and Ron. Together, our Patronuses charged forward, making the Dementors scatter.

"Can't thank you enough," Ron said shakily as the Dementors cleared off. "You've just saved – "

With a roar, another giant charged through, brandishing a club.

"RUN!" Harry shouted again, but we didn't need telling. We scattered just as the giants foot fell right where we had been standing.

The others had vanished, it was just Ron, Harry, and me as we raced away from the giant.

"We have to get out of range!" Ron yelled as the giante brandished the club once more.

"The Whomping Willow!" Harry said, "go!"

We sprinted towards the enchanted tree, dodging the whipping branches as it guarded the entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

We slowed down, but I couldn't breathe. I hadn't realized we had ran so far and so fast. I doubled over, trying to catch my breath.

"How – how're we going to get in?" Ron panted. "I can – see the place – if we just had – Crookshanks again –"

I huffed angrily, retorting the words he said to me when we fought the Devil's Snare: "Are you a wizard or what?"

"Oh yeah…"

Ron looked around, spotted a twig and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"  
the twig flew up and shot right at the knot that froze the tree.

"Perfect," I panted, still clutching my side.

"Wait."

I looked at Harry and it looked like he was unsure. About what? What was there to be unsure about? The snake was inside! And we have to kill the snake!

But Ron seemed to understand.

"Harry, we're coming with you, just go!" he said, pushing Harry forward.

We wriggled into the passage and crawled slowly forward until we saw the hole where it led into the Shack.

"The Cloak!" I whispered, suddenly remembering. "Put the Cloak on!"

Harry pulled the Cloak on and we waited.

Voices came from directly overhead, muffled slightly because the hole had just been covered by an old crate.

I watched as Harry edged, flat against the wall, to see into the room.

"…my Lord, their resistance is crumbling – "

" – and yet it is doing so without your help," came an icy voice. I shuddered. I had never heard Voldemort when he was so close. "Skilled wizard though you may be, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there…almost."

"Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please."

Footsteps sounded overhead and Harry drew back. More footsteps and Voldemort spoke again.

"I have a problem, Severus," he said softly.  
"My Lord?" Snape asked.

"Why doesn't my wand work for me, Severus?"

What was he talking about? It was his wand. Shouldn't it work….and then I remembered: Voldemort had the Elder Wand!

"My – my Lord?" Snape asked, sounding completely confused. "I don't understand. You have performed marvelous magic with that wand."

"No," Voldemort said. "I have performed my usual magic. I am already extraordinary, but this wand…no. it has not revealed to me its secrets, its wanders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the wand I procured from Ollivander all those years ago."

"No difference," Voldemort repeated a few moments later.

There was silence from above and I knew Snape was in danger. It sounded as though Voldemort was moving around slowly, thoughtfully.

"I have thought long and heard, Severus…Do you know why I have called you from the battle?"

"No, my Lord, but I beg you let me return. Let me find Potter! I can –"

"You sound like Lucius," Voldemort purred. "Neither understand Potter like I do. He does not need finding. Before the night is over, Potter will come to me. I know his weaknesses, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing it was for him. He will want to stop it at any cost. He will come."

"But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally," Snape said, "by someone other than yourself."

"My instructions were clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends – the more, the better – but do not kill him.

"But it is you that I wished to speak with, Severus, not Harry Potter." He spat the last words and then continued. "You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."

"My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But – let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can –"

"I have told you, no!" Voldemort shrieked. I shrunk father back, terrified. If he finds us, we're nothing but dead. "My concern at the moment is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"

"My Lord, there can be no question, surely -?"

" - but there is a question, Severus. There is."

The footsteps overhead stopped and Harry edged closer.

Not so close, Harry. Not to close….  
Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?"

"I cannot answer that, my Lord."

"Can't you?"

I saw Harry rub his forehead fiercely, his face contorted in rage and pain.

"My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it, except kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores and told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."

"I have no explanation, my Lord."

"I sought a third wand. The Elder Wand. I took it from its former master, from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."

"My Lord – "

"All night, I have sat here," Voldemort continued, "wondering why the Elder Wand refuses to work for me, why it refuses to work for its rightful owner…and I think have the answer."

Silence.

"The wand cannot work for me, Severus, because I am not the rightful owner. The Elder Wand belongs to the man who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, I cannot be the owner. It cannot truly be mine."

"My Lord!" Snape cried.

A thud resounded overhead and terror coursed through me as I heard a strangled hiss.

A terrible scream rent the air followed by several thuds and crashes.

"I regret it," I heard Voldemort say coldly over the struggles.

Footsteps overhead and then they faded.

"Harry!" I breathed as Harry released his knuckles he had been biting on for the last minute. He raised his wand and moved the crate that blocked the way. He crawled through the hole and Ron and I followed after exchanging glances of terror.

Pulling myself into the Shack, I saw Harry bent of Snape with Snape's fist clutching at Harry's jacket. A silvery substance was leaking out of him, from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

A horrible rasping, gurgling noise came from Snape's throat.

"Take…it….Take…it…."

Without thinking, I conjured a flask and thrust it into to Harry's shaking hands. Harry captured the memories and filled it to the brim.

Tears pricked my eyes as I watched the hatred ebb from both men.

"Look…at…me….

* * *

**Also, sorry this is really long! But read...review...all that jazz!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


	11. Shattered

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The genius, Jo Rowling does! You're an amazing woman, you are, Mrs. Rowling! Thought I'd share! **

**So, I hope everyone had a lovely New Years! I certainly did! I also got a lovely review, which made my day! So, thank you! Also, sorry if this either short and/or boring. I wasn't sure how to do this, but I hope I got it right!**

**Thanks! **

**-LovelyAlice831-**

**This song inspired this chapter (and most of the ones at the end, seeing as I keep listening to it while I write these final chapters):**

**"And I've lost who I am, and I can't understand Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love, without, love gone wrong; lifeless words carry on But I know, all I know's that the end's beginning who I am from the start, take me home to my heart Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent, all this time spent in vain; wasted years wasted gain All is lost but hope remains and this war's not over There's a light, there's a sun taking all these shattered ones To the place we belong and his love will conquer all  
Yesterday I died; tomorrow's bleeding Fall into your sunlight" - Shattered by Trading Yesterday-  
**

* * *

No one moved after Snape's hand dropped to the floor with a ringing _thud_ of finality.

I wanted to look away from the sight of the black eyes that were now blank and unseeing. I shuddered and sniffled quietly. Ron squeezed my hand gently and I turned a small, quivering smile to him.

I turned my attention back to Harry who was still staring down at the fallen man. He didn't move. I began to wonder if he ever would. Would he forgive the man lying dead on the floor for all the years of torment because of who Harry's parents were? Would it ever go away?

I lifted a hand to tell Harry we should leave when a cold, harsh voice spoke, sounding as if he were back in the room.

Harry jumped to his feet, causing me to scramble away from him.

His hands were shaking as he held a firm grip on the flask full of memories.

"You have fought bravely," came the cold voice of Lord Voldemort. "I know how to value bravery.

"You have sustained heavy losses and if you continue to resist me, you will all die," he continued simply. "I do not wish for this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a waste. However, Lord Voldemort is merciful. I now command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead and see to your wounded."

I quivered, terrified that Voldemort might walk back into the room and kill us all. But he kept talking from his unknown place.

"I speak to you now, Harry Potter. You have let your friends die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait an hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, when the hour is up, you have not come, then I shall have the battle continue and everyone _will_ die. You have one hour."

After a quick look at Ron, I scrambled to my feet, clutching Harry's arm, shaking my head.

"Harry, no! You can't go!" I cried.

"Mate, don't listen to him," Ron said.

"It'll – it'll be alright," I said, scared, not for myself, but for Harry. I could see the wheels turning in his head and I knew he was going to go see Voldemort. "Let's get back to the castle and if he _has_ gone to the forest, we'll have to think of a new plan, that's all."

After looking quickly at Snape's body, I hurried to the tunnel entrance and dropped into the tunnel.

I was still in shock that Snape was dead. He was really dead. And why? Because he had killed Dumbledore, making him the owner of the Elder Wand.

But no…that's not right, I suddenly remember as I crawled over the dirt of the tunnel. Draco killed…oh, no. Never mind. He was supposed to kill Dumbledore. Right. Draco had disarmed him and Snape killed him. Right.

Keep your head straight, Hermione, I told myself sternly.

When we finally got safely out of the tunnel, we ran back to the castle. And the sight that awaited us had tears in my eyes.

Bodies littered the castle grounds and great chunks of wall were completely blasted off of the school. The great clock was shattered, its glass lay glittering in the courtyard. Sobs and screams of agony pierced the air as students discovered their dead friends.

We hurried up the crumbling stone steps into the entrance hall. I realized, then, that the great oak doors were missing.

As we walked into the Great Hall, we heard nothing. Everyone was silent.

Bodies lined the floor with the house tables move away to make room for the dead and injured. Many people stood in groups, tears on their faces and clung to one another. Madam Pomfrey and a group of what appeared to be healers were helping the injured.

I looked at the bodies and only saw a group of red headed people around what I assumed was Fred.

A choked sob sounded from my left and I turned and saw Ron had spotted his family at the same time that I did.

Ginny looked up at me, her brown eyes red and swollen, her face blotchy. She gave me a desperate look and, without thinking, I pulled her into a tight embrace. I hugged her with all the strength that I had in me. She broke into sobs once more and this time, I did as well.

We clung to one another, tears cascading down our faces.

When we pulled away, I wiped at the tears hopelessly, letting Ginny scoot closer to Mrs. Weasley, who was thrown over Fred's body. George was at Fred's head, staring blankly at his twin. Mr. Weasley and Bill had their arms around each others shoulders and Fleur held Bill's hand as tears poured out of her eyes. Percy stood beside Ron, who then sank to the floor, tears staining his face.

Not wanting to intrude on their time of grief, I looked around at the bodies. And immediately regretted it.

Tonks and Lupin lay among them, their faces peaceful, almost as if they were asleep under the enchanted ceiling of the school.

But they weren't asleep. They were gone. Forever. And leaving a newborn son behind in their wake.

Poor Teddy, I thought as I stared at the two. He would never know how brave his parents were. He would never know how clumsy Tonks was and how great of a man Remus was. He would only hear stories.

Much like Harry, I realized.

I looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

Where could he have gone?

Turning back to Ron, I saw him slid away from his family and walked with a slouch over to me.

"Ron, I'm so sorry," I whispered to him when he reached me.

He turned his brown to me and I wanted to cry again.

His usual bright, brown eyes were now dead. They were red and he let out a dry sob.

He took one step towards me before collapsing into my arms.

"Shh, Ron," I murmured. "Shh. It'll be okay. It'll be alright. This will all be over soon. I promise. Shh…."

I let him cry on my shoulder. I rubbed his back in rhythmic circles while I continued to whisper, "Shh, it'll be alright. Shh…."

After what seemed like hours later, he pulled away, wiping at his eyes.

Without thinking, I leaned forward and kissed his tearstained cheek. His eyes closed and he hugged me close.

I could hear his heart pounding, telling me he was alive.

We stood, hugging, for several minutes before he whispered something I thought I would never hear in my life.

"I love you, Hermione."

My breath froze and my heart stopped. My knees started to give out, but at that moment, Ron pulled my face up and kissed me full on the mouth. He lifted me off the ground and it felt as if the world was spinning.

When he pulled away, there was hope and love in his eyes, a gentle smile caressing his mouth.

I laughed quietly and kissed him once more.

Pulling away, Ron rested his chin on my head, swaying us side to side as he held me.

"I love you too, Ron," I whispered back. I felt his arms tighten around me and smiled.

Taking my hand, Ron said, "C'mon, we need to find Harry."

"You noticed he was missing too?" I asked as he laced his fingers through mine. He nodded, his face serious again.

"He can't do it, Hermione," Ron said. "He can't. Voldemort will kill him! I know he will!"

I stared at Ron, amazed and impressed. He saw my expression and said carefully, "What?"

"You said _Voldemort_, Ron!" I gasped.

He looked stumped, as if he were trying to think about it. His face broke into a grin when he said, "Yeah. I guess I did."

I smiled and said, "Let's go. We can't let Harry die."

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	12. Sweet Sorrow

**So...I actually was on a roll tonight (at 2 in the morning) and wrote THREE chapters. However...you don't get those yet! Haha! But anyways, I hope you like this! I was losing brain function around the end of this (same with other two) so if anything's wrong, yeah...let me know!**

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"What do you mean he left?" I asked, frantic, as I talk to the gargoyle in front of the headmasters office.

"Just that," he replied wearily. "The boy left, muttering something about forest. I don't know. I don't listen to angsty teenage boys."

I turned to Ron, my eyes brimming with tears.

"Ron, he's gone to hand himself over!" I practically scream.

Ron took me in his arms and murmured, "Shh…" as I had only moments ago in the Great Hall.

"We'll get him, Hermione," he murmured softly to me. "We'll get him before he does something stupid."

I pulled away, taking his hand. "C'mon! We have to go! We have to catch him!"

We sprinted out down the hall, took a sharp left, and ran down the marble staircase and out the oak front doors, into the cool May night air.

Panting, I looked around, desperate to find him.

"What if he's got the Invisibility Cloak?" I asked Ron as I squinted in the darkness, hoping for some shadow of a figure that might look like Harry.

"He probably does," said Ron darkly as he glared into the night.

"Then he'll have gone," I said, defeated. I wanted to sink to the cool grass beneath me and never get up.

And then quiet shuffling made its way to my ears and I lifted my wand and called out, "Who's there?"

"It's Ginny."

My eyes narrowed, I kept my wand aimed at her chest as she came into view.

"I dated Harry last year," Ginny said in a flat voice. "I've been in love with him since I first saw him seven years ago."

I lowered my wand slowly and asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"McGonagall needed help getting the last injured people inside," she explained while Ron took her hand and squeezed it. "I was just over there by a girl. She's terrified and wants to go home."

Her voice trembled. She put her face in her hands and her shoulders shook.

"And I think…I think Harry passed me," she wimpered. "I heard someone walk by me, but I didn't see anyone. I think it was him. Why? Why is he leaving? Where is he going?"

I exchanged a look with Ron, who shook his head.

Putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder, I waited until she looked up and said, "He's handing himself over to Voldemort."

Ginny let out a cry and collapsed. Ron caught her just in time and held her to him. She cried into his shirt and rubbed her back soothingly.

"He'll be okay, Gin," Ron said, triyng to reassure even himself.

I didn't see how. He was going to hand himself over to Voldemort. He was going to kill himself. What had he seen in Snape's memories that made him decide this? How could he do this without us? He needed us. We needed him. It worked both ways and he was gone. Gone to be all "morale fiber" and brave and…and…and stupid! How he could be so stupid?

I was fuming when I saw movement on the edge of the forest. I heard a strange, strangled cry coming from one of them that was walking. It looked like Hagrid. And he was carrying something. Something that was limp.

"Ron…," I whispered, dread filling ever fiber of my being. "Ron, no…."

He looked up and whispered something to Ginny, who looked up, her face stained with tears. She pulled out of Ron's arms slowly, standing a few feet in front of him.

Ron looked at me, his eyes expressing the same fear I felt. I took his hand into mine as we watched the small group troop up the lawn.

No, no, no, no….no, it wasn't Harry. Harry was alive. He was fighting. Somewhere.

Suddenly, the small group that was getting closer and closer to us was no longer small. People began to spread out as they slowed to a stop, Hagrid still in the front with two giants flanking the group.

They began moving again and it was then that I realized more people had emerged from the castle, crowding around us.

I trembled with fear as a horrible scream split the air.

"NO!"

McGonagall shoved her way to the front and stood inches from me.

It was then I saw the glasses on the limp form in Hagrid's air.

The whooshed out of me and my eyesight darkened for a moment.

"No!"

"_No!"_

"Harry! HARRY!"

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	13. Moment To Fight

**First off - Disclaimer: I reckon we all know I am NO J.K. Rowling. I'm a tad too young for that, ay?**

**So I think you all should know by now that I have a major tendency to leave out words. Or misspell them. Yeah, I don't mean to. It to, it just happens.**

**And, as my last A.N. said, it was 2 in the morning when I wrote these. Forgive anything that might be wrong. I apologize in advance if NOTHING makes he slightest bit of sense.**

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It was Ginny's cry that had me lurching towards her, catching her around the waist as she tried to get close to him. I held her back with difficulty until she collapsed in my arms, taking us both sinking to the ground.

With difficulty, I pulled her back to her feet as the crowd around us started shouting and screaming abuse at the Death Eaters that walked ever closer to us.

"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort. With a bang and a flash of light, our voices were gone.

Turning to Ron, I saw that he, too, couldn't speak. We had been Silenced. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet. It's right where he belongs!"

Anger boiled inside me as I watched Hagrid gingerly place Harry on the ground in front of Voldemort.

"See?" Voldemort asked the silent crowd in front of him. He began pacing back in forth in front of Harry's body. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now? Do you see the truth? He was nothing but a boy who relied on other people to sacrifice themselves for him!"

Ron lurched forward, anger etched on every line of his face.

"He beat you!" Ron yelled, his voice so loud, I had to resist clapping my hands over my ears. But he broke the Silence charm and suddenly, the Hogwarts students were shouting at Voldemort and the Death Eaters once more.

_BANG!_

We were Silenced once more.

"He was killed while trying to sneak away," Voldemort said, laughing cruelly, no amusement in the laugh. "He was killed trying to save himself – "

Someone charged at Voldemort, but there was another bang and another flash of light, sending the would-be attacker flying backwards.

"And who is this?" he asked, his voice a soft hiss. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle has been lost?"

Someone who sounded too much like Bellatrix Lestrange let out a delighted cackle.

"It's Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors I tortured!"

"Oh, I remember," Voldemort said, looking at Neville. "But you are a Pureblood. I do not wish to spill your blood."

"So? You'd do it to anyone!" Neville spit. "You'd kill a Pureblood in a heartbeat. And I'll _die_ before I join you!"

Voldemort laughed and walked around Neville.

"My dear boy," he said, his high voice cruel, "you have no say in the matter. You are brave and come of noble stock. You will make a valuable Death Eater. We need people like you, Neville. Oh yes. You shall make a wonderful Death Eater."

"I will _never_…be a Death Eater," Neville spat. Voldemort merely laughed. "I will join you…_when hell freezes over_! DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY!"

The crowd roared once more, causing Voldemort's eyes to flash even more red than usual. He sneered and walked away, back to his Death Eaters.

"Very well," he said coldy. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, on your head, so be it."

Not making a sound, Voldemort sent his wand through the air and, after a few moments, the Sorting Hat landed with a soft thump in front of Neville.

_Oh, Neville!_ I thought as Bellatrix strode forward and shoved the old hat onto Neville's head.

"From now on," Voldemort said, his cold, high voice ringing over the silent, watchful crowd, "there will be no more sorting. The only symbol on the Hogwarts crest shall be a serpent. There shall be no more Houses. The only House there shall be will be Slytherin. I don't think there will be objections, do you, Longbottom?"

I watched, horrified, as Voldemort pointed his wand at the Hat, setting it on fire while it say atop Neville's head.

Screams split the air while Neville, forced to stay still, screamed at Hat that was on fire on his head.

I wanted to do something! I wanted to put out the fire, do something! But before I even could think of a thing to do to save Neville from the flaming hat, a commotion at the Forest caught everyone's attention and people came running, swarming the castle grounds, while what appeared to be Grawp came lumbering around, yelling, "HAGGER!"

His cry for his brother was answered by the other giants, who charged him.

Turning to Ron, he pulled Ginny and me away, back towards the castle.

We ran up the crushed steps and back into the Great Hall.

We had just reached the doors when Hagrid's cry echoed over to us.

"HARRY! WHERE'S HARRY?"

Everything was chaotic as we were pushed inside by the crowd.

Even though Ron had had a tight grip on both Ginny and me, he was suddenly gone and Bellatrix was in his place.

I back away, terrified at the horrendous witch in front of me. She grinned wickedly, her disgusting, black teeth showing.

Ginny stood beside me and, suddenly, Luna was on the other side.

They started firing off curses at the witch, who danced around them as if they were nothing.

I stood rooted to the spot, the night she tortured me fresh in my mind. The searing pain on my arm, the kicks, the Cruciatious Curse.

Suddenly, I was beyond furious.

With a yell, I began sending curse after curse after the witch, anger hazing my vision. But despite the fact that Ginny, Luna, and I fought her, were we no match for her.

We began backing away, still firing jinx after jinx at her.

A jet of green light flew past my left arm and I quickly jumped away from it.

I pulled Ginny out of the way just as a Killing Curse was sent at her.

I was furious. I wanted to kill this bitch.

Just as I shot out a curse, I heard someone scream, "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Mrs. Weasley shoved us aside, shouting, "OUT OF MY WAY!"

Ginny, Luna, and I dove aside and watched in awe at Molly Weasley wielding her wand in ways I had never dreamed I'd see.

Both witches were aiming to kill and I was terrified for Mrs. Weasley. What if she was killed? What about Ron and Ginny and George and Mr. Weasley.

I was disgusted to learn I was having the same thoughts as Bellatrix the Crazy.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" taunted Bellatrix, throwing another curse at Mrs. Weasley. "What will happen Mummy's gone the same way as precious, little Freddie?"

Mrs. Weasley let out a bellow of rage and, just as Bellatrix let out an exhilarated laugh, Mrs. Weasley's curse struck Bellatrix beneath her outstretched arm, right over her heart.

Bellatrix's smile froze and her eyes widened, as if she knew, in that fraction of a second, what had happened.

She toppled over, very much dead.

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	14. Revolution

**Disclaimer: I am not Jo. However much I WISH I was...I'm not. That woman...she's my hero! Haha!**

**So here it is. Sadly, Haunted is almost finished. Thankfully, I'll be having another story up soon...ish. Anywho...Hope you like this and REVIEW so I can know if ya liked it! **

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Roars of delight and triumph rose from the watching crowd as Voldemort let out a high scream of rage.

I turned to look at the evil man just as Kingsley, McGonagall, and Slughorn were blasted backward, flailing helplessly as they flew back, slamming into the stone floor.

Voldemort was beyond angry as he realized his best Death Eater was dead. My eyes widened in horror as his wand rose to Mrs. Weasley, hatred on his face.

Ginny clutched me as she watched.

"_Protego!"_ cried an all too familiar voice.

I almost sank to the floor in relief.

Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak with a relish, letting it fall to the floor. His wand was raised to Voldemort with what looked like a smirk on his face.

Cheers erupted along with, "HE'S ALIVE!" and "HARRY!" but the cries of joy were stifled at once as they watched, fearful, as Voldemort and Harry began circling each other.

I pushed through the crowd, Ginny and Luna right behind me. I stood in the very front, right beside Lee Jordan and Michael Corner.

"I don't want anyone else to try to help," Harry said loudly to waiting crowd, his green eyes never straying from Voldemort's red ones. "Nobody else is going to die. Not for me. It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

"Potter doesn't mean that," Voldemort scoffed.

Voldemort can scoff? Wow. Way to be an angsty teen, I thought, trying not to laugh at the sudden thought.

"That isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield this time, Potter?"

"Nobody," Harry said simply. I felt a rush of pride towards my best friend. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you…and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave. For good, this time…."

"One of us?" Voldemort jeered. He looked like a snake, his body ready to strike at the first opportunity. "You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident time and again? Survived because Dumbledore was pulling this strings?"

Harry barked out a laugh.

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" he asked. I grinned as they stalked each other in their circle. Harry passed across from me, and, even though in knew he would be looking, I beamed at him, my eyes filling. I knew he could do it! "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, when I didn't defend myself tonight in the forest, and still survived to return and fight once more?"

"_Accidents!"_ Voldemort screamed. I flinched and I wasn't the only one. He was still poised, ready to strike, but didn't. The whole crowd in the Hall stood as though they were Petrified. Hardly anyone dared to breathe except for the two in the middle. "Accident and chance and that fact that you crouched behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," Harry said as they continued to circle. "You won't be able to kill any of them ever gain. _Don't you get it?_ I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people – "

"But you did not!"  
"But I meant to!" Harry said. "And that what's did it. I did what my mother did to protect me. I sacrificed myself for them. That's why the spells you put on them aren't binding. They are protected from you. You cannot torture them anymore. You can't touch them. Don't you ever learn from your mistakes, Riddle?"

"You dare -!"

"_Yes_, I dare," Harry said darkly. "I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know loads of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort was silent, watching Harry through his slitted eyes. I could see the curiosity in his red eyes. It kept him at bay, him believing that Harry knew something he did not.

I looked at Harry, fearful and curious at the same time.

"Is it _love_ again?" Voldemort finally asked, his face in a sneer. "Dumbledore's favorite solution, _love_, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him from falling and breaking like waxwork from the tower!"

Love is something you will _never_ understand, I thought darkly.

"Love, was it, when I stomped your mother like a cockroach?" Voldemort continued. "No one seems to love you enough now, Potter, to take your place this time, no one to take my curse for you. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?"

No one to take your curse? I thought angrily. I would take it in a heartbeat. So would Ron and Ginny and Luna and Neville and…and…and everybody!

"Just one thing," Harry said as they kept circling each other.

"If it is not love that will save you this time, Potter," Voldemort said softly, "then you must believe that you have magic I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine."

"I believe both," Harry said coolly. Shock flitted over Voldemort's features before he controlled it to rage once more.

"You think you know more magic than I?" he asked. "Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never even dreamed of?"

"Oh, he dreamed of it," Harry said, "but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" Voldemort screamed. I flinched back. I felt someone behind me. I turned and saw Ron. His face was serious as he watched his best friend anger the most powerful wizard in the world. "To weak to dare, too weak to take what _might_ have been his, what _will be mine!_"

"No, he was cleverer than you," Harry said, "a much better wizard, a better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!"

I swore I saw a flicker of a smile on Harry's face as he said, "You thought you did, but you were wrong."

I looked at Ron, who looked back at me, equally confused.

Wait…what? Snape killed Dumbledore, everyone knew that!

"Dumbledore is dead!" Voldemort spat at Harry, as if hoping the words would cripple him. "His body decays in the marble tomb on the grounds of this very castle, I have seen it and he shall never return!"

Harry practically rolled his green eyes as he said, "Yes, Dumbledore's dead, but you didn't have him killed. He chose his manner of dying, chose it months before he died. He arranged the whole the thing with the man you thought was your faithful servant."

"What nonsense is this?" Voldemort asked. He still stared at Harry. I waited for the moment when he would strike, leaving Harry without warning of when he would do it.

"Severus Snape was never yours," Harry said. "He was Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting my mother all those years ago. And you never realized it! You never realized it because of the one thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Tom?"

Voldemort was silent as he watched Harry.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe, the same as my mothers," Harry said, "because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized," he said when Voldemort became even more visibly angry, "he asked you to spare her, didn't he?"

"He fancied her, that was all," Voldemort sneered. "But when she was gone, he agreed there were other women out there of purer blood, women who were worthier of him –"

"Well of course he told you that," Harry said, sounding exasperated.

Really. Doesn't Voldemort know anything about love? I asked myself as I saw Harry's patience wearing thin. He wanted this to be over.

"However, he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her and he had been against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

I flinched at the way he'd said it, but I knew what he said was true. These must have been the memories Snape had wanted him to see.

"It does not matter!" Voldemort shrieked. He had listened to every word with rapt attention and now, he was ready to strike. "It does not matter whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, to what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path. I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape's supposed _love_! But it all makes sense, Potter, in ways that you do not understand!

"Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder wand from me! He intended Snape to be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, boy. I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago and the Elder wand is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, it did," Harry admitted. My brow furrowed. Then…where was this going? "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you to think about what you've done…. Think and try for some remorse, Riddle…."

"What is this?"

Voldemort looked confused as to what Harry was saying. But I knew. I knew that in order to put your soul back together, you needed to be remorseful about what you had done. It was painful and could very well kill you in the process. But Voldemort was so evil, so far gone, that I doubted he even knew how to feel even the slightest hint of sadness. All he knew was rage, revenge, and hatred.

"It's your last chance," Harry continued. I looked at him, a slight smile on his drawn, worn, bruised and bloodied face. He looked triumphant as the continued to circle one another. "It's all you've got left…. I've seen what you'll be otherwise…. Be a man…try…. Try for some remorse…."

"You dare – ?" Voldemort said once more.

"Yes, I dare," Harry said, sounding agitated, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all! It's backfired on _you_, Riddle!"

I saw the Elder Wand trembling in Voldemort's hand as he took in what Harry said. Ah. So the darkest wizard who proclaims to be afraid of nothing, is suddenly terrified.

It was coming to a close. The moment which truly decided the fate of – not only the Wizarding world – but the whole world as well, was moments away. It was thick in the air.

I shot a glance out of the blown out windows and saw the sky growing pink.

"The wand still isn't working right for you, is it?" Harry asked, pulling me back to the situation at hand. "And it won't work because you murdered the wrong person. Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"He killed –"

"Aren't you _listening_ to me? _Snape never beat Dumbledore!_ Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wands last true master. If it had all gone as was planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him."

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort said, sounding right pleased with himself. But I was grinning. I got it, Voldemort did not. "I stole the wand from Dumbledore! I removed it against his will! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it!" Harry cried. "Possessing the wand, holding it, using it, is not enough! Didn't you ever listen to Ollivander? 'The wand chooses the wizard.' The Elder Wand recognized a new owner before its master had died, someone who had never once laid a hand on it, never knowing he had won the most powerful wand in the world's allegiance."

Voldemort looked terrified at this. His chest rose and fell rapidly as the circled.

And then I remembered: Draco disarmed Dumbledore. Draco was the true owner of the Elder Wand!

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Shock showed on Voldemort's face before he was composed once more.

He shrugged and said, "But it matters not. When I have killed you, I shall kill him."

He still didn't get it. Draco _was_ the owner! There's a new owner now! I thought as I watched Harry.

"I'm afraid you're too late, Riddle," Harry said with a grin. "You missed your chance. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him."

He twitched the hawthorn wand that had once been Draco Malfoy's wand. Every eye in the room was on that wand.

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" Harry asked softly. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does…I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

Ah, how things seemed to work out in his favor, I thought as sunlight suddenly burst into the Great Hall, showering everyone with golden light.

But no one was paying attention to the sudden sunlight.

The morning sun hit both faces at the exact same time. At the exact same time they raised their wands.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

"_Expelliarmus!"_

With a blast like a cannon, golden flames erupted between them in the dead center of the circle they had been pacing.

I waited, horrified, as I watched Voldemort's green jet of light hit Harry's red one.

I found Ron's arm and dug my nails into it, biting my lip. I tasted blood in my mouth as I watched…waited.

Suddenly, the Elder Wand was flying out his hand, spinning rapidly through the air to its true master. To the master it would not kill. Could not kill.

Harry caught it and I watched as Voldemort fell backwards.

It was like slow motion, watching him fall, his arm still outstretched, his hand open from when the wand left him. His face was a mask of surprise, his mouth half-open, his red eyes slits.

Tom Riddle hit the flagged stone floor with ringing thud of finality, his eyes rolling upward, half-open. He lay spread-eagle on the floor, looking shrunken. Lord Voldemort was dead.

There was split second of bated silence and then the Hall erupted into cheers.

I ran flat out towards Harry, Ginny beating me by a split second. I wrapped my arms around Harry, and soon…so was everyone else. Everybody wanted to touch the Boy Who Lived. To touch the one who destroyed the most powerful dark wizard of all time.

When everyone pulled away, it was only the Weasley's, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Hagrid, Kingsley, McGonagall, and Ron and I.

I wanted to hug him, to tell him how brave he was.

The Boy Who Lived, the Boy Who Lied, Harry Plotter, the Chosen One, Undesirable Number One…had defeated the Dark Lord.

I beamed through my tears of joy at him as I watched him take Ginny in his arms and kiss her full on the mouth.

Turning to Ron, I saw him looking at me, his blue eyes filled with joy.

Sweeping me into his arms, he crushed his lips to mine and I was lost in this amazing man called Ronald Bilius Weasley.

We pulled apart just as the House tables were put back in place by Professor McGonagall, not that anyone bothered with sitting according to Houses.

As I sat at the Ravenclaw table with Ron's arm around my waist, I took in the sight.

Sure, the castle was practically turning to rubble and all over the country, people were coming back to themselves after being Imperioused and Death Eaters were hiding, but there was one amazing, simple truth to what that meant: The War Was Over.

Sighing happily, I tucked myself into Ron as the sun rose over the school.

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	15. It's Over

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Just my own ideas!**

**I am so, so, so, sorry for such a long wait! I've been terribly busy and I hope you'll forgive me! Thanks to those who reviewed my last chapter! I hope this chapter sort of makes up for the non-existent updates! **

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"It's me," a low voice from behind us said. "Will you come with me?"

I looked at Ron, who nodded, and we both stood. Side-by-side, we left the Great Hall and walked out to the entrance hall.

The marble staircase had missing chunks and there was rubble and bloodstains every other stair or so. My heart pulled at the thought of all the dead that now lay in the Great Hall, their families gathered around them. One single tear leaked out of my eye at the thought of Fred. He was gone, never coming back, leaving a whole family behind who would miss him. They would miss his smile, his laugh, his pranks. And I knew they would miss the same with George. He wouldn't smile or laugh, pull as many pranks as he used to. He lost half of himself and that was something that would ever heal.

Taking Ron by surprise, I slid my hand into his and squeezed it gently. He gave me a small smile as we kept walking.

I could faintly hear a crude song being sung by Peeves and smiled a bit. Trust Peeves to sing something like that. I listened to the words and smiled:

_We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the one,_

_And Voldy's gone moldy, so now let's have fun!_

I looked at Ron, who was grinning with me.

"Gives you a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the whole thing, doesn't it?" he asked as he pushing open a door, letting Harry and I pass first.

I nodded as Ron's hand slid back into mine.

"It does," I said thoughtfully. "But happiness will come. I know it. It won't right away, mind. But eventually, we'll all be able to be happy again."

I looked at Ron when I said this and he smiled gratefully. "Thanks, 'Mi."

I rested my head on his shoulder as we made our way to the end of the hall, where a broken gargoyle lay across the floor.

Harry asked if we could pass and soon, we were walking up to the Headmaster's office.

As we climbed, I wondered what Harry had seen in Snape's memory. What was it that made Harry believe Snape was working for Dumbledore in the end? For sixteen years, Severus Tobias Snape was a double-double spy, risking his life for Dumbledore, for the good. I could barely wrap my head around it, but I suppose that now it made sense. Of course he was really the good guy. Of course. That's just how these things work.

Harry pushed open the Headmaster's door and we entered.

Ear-shattering applause reached our ears, making Harry cry out and Ron pull out his wand. My own head whipped around in surprise.

All the portrait occupants were standing, applauding us. Many were crying out and wiping tears as they clapped. I grinned widely as Phineas Nigellus cried out, "And let it be known that Slytherin House played its part! Let our contribution not be forgotten!"

I looked all around the wall, at the old headmasters and headmistress's as they clapped loudly and proudly. They all beamed, tears of the utmost joy in their eyes. And then I saw the old man directly behind the headmaster's chair. He was beaming at us, wiping is eyes as he applauded us.

After several minutes, Harry held up his hands and the portraits quieted down, still beaming and wiping their eyes. But it was to Dumbledore that Harry spoke to.

"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch," he began, "I dropped it in the Forest. I don't know where, exactly, and I don't plan to look for it. Do you agree?"

"My dear boy, I do," Dumbledore said. I looked at the other portraits and they looked as confused as I felt. What was in the Snitch? "A wise and courageous decision, I think, but no less than I would have expected from you. Does anyone else know where it fell?"

Harry shook his head. "No one."

Dumbledore nodded, satisfied, and I exchanged a confused look with Ron, who shrugged.

"But I am going to keep Ignotus's present," Harry continued, pulling out the Cloak.

_Well, of course you should keep it_! I thought as Dumbledore beamed at Harry. _It is yours after all._

"Of course, Harry. It is yours forever until you pass it along," Dumbledore said.

"And then there's this."

All eyes fell on Harry as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand. He set it on Dumbledore's desk and stepped back. It was the Elder Wand.

My hand twitched, longing to reach out and take it, to see how it worked. Beside me, Ron shifted a bit, his eyes wide as he took in the Wand. Harry shifted uncomfortably and I blinked. Right. I have my own wand. A wand that works perfectly fine. Why should I want the most powerful wand out there?

"I don't want it," Harry said loudly.

"What?" Ron cried out. "Have you lost your marbles? I mean, have you gone completely mental?"

"I know it's powerful, I do," Harry said wearily. "But I was happier with mine, so…."

Harry reached back into his pocket and pulled out his broken wand. I looked at my feet, the old guilt resurfacing.

Laying the broken wand on Dumbledore's desk, Harry picked up the Elder Wand, tapped his wand and muttered, "_Reparo_."

I watched as his wand resealed itself, red and gold sparks emitting out of the repaired wand's tip.

Harry picked it up and he beamed.

Turning back to Dumbledore, he said, "I'm putting the Elder Wand back where it came from – with you. It can stay there. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, its power will be broken, won't it? The previous owner won't have been defeated and that will be the end of it."

Dumbledore nodded. I saw Harry smile and Dumbledore smiled in return.

It was as though there was some connection between them, something that neither Ron nor I could possibly fathom. _Something must have happened in the Forest,_ I thought. Something that Harry doesn't want us to know. But I knew Harry well enough to know that if he wanted us to know, he'd tell us. It may take a few hours or may take a few years. But if he wanted to tell us…he would.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked beside me. There was a bit of longing in his voice as he stared at the Elder Wand.

I bit my lip and looked from Ron to Harry and back again. "I think Harry's right, Ron."

"That wand is more trouble than it's worth," Harry said. "And to be perfectly honest, I've had enough trouble to last me a lifetime."

He turned his back on the portraits and left.

Ron and I looked at one another and Ron put his arms around my waist. I did the same, resting my head on his chest. He put his chin on top of my head and then we pulled back, Ron keeping one arm on my waist. We followed Harry out of the room and down the spiral staircase.

We took the familiar route to the Gryffindor Common Room and I was suddenly very eager to get back to it, to feel normalcy. I was exhausted and I just wanted to sleep. Ron squeeze me once before we entered the Gryffindor Tower.

"It's over," Ron whispered, pulling me in a deep kiss.

We pulled back and I whispered back, "I love you."

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**Sorry if that end was lame. I wasn't sure how to end it and I thought that Hermione telling Ron she loved him was good. Oh! And the "'Mi". Yeah. I had too. There was simply no way to avoid it. But I hope you liked it. The very - last - chapter will be up soon...ish. Until I can choke out the words, enjoy this AND two others I have written. One's a one-shot of Harry going into the Forest to meet Voldy and the other is what I like to call a "guilty pleasure." Forgive me if you don't like it. Anywho...hope you liked this chapter! And, uh...review. Really. I love reviews. They make me utterly happy!**

**Thanks very much!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


	16. Nineteen Years Later

**Here it is. The final chapter in Haunted. I hope you all liked this story! I had loads of fun writing it and I'm terribly sad it's over! But I will have more stories up - not sure if they'll be Romione, though. ^_^ There might be more. Who knows.**

**Naturally, I do not own Harry Potter! My hero does. **

**-LovelyAlice831-**

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"Come on you two!" Ron called as we walked into the station. "You're gonna be late."

"Oh, Ron, stop! They won't be late," I chastised.

"I was only joking," Ron laughed as he pushed his daughters cart.

I rolled my eyes as I felt Hugo's hand slip into mine.

"Mummy, when can I go?" he asked me, his right hand moving to his mouth. Next thing I knew, his thumb was in his mouth and I couldn't help but smile.

"In a few years," I replied as we made our way to platform nine and ten.

"But I don't wanna wait," Hugo grumbled around his thumb.

"Hugo, stop sucking your thumb," Rose said. "It's a nasty thing."

Hugo shot his sister a glare.

"Shut up!"

"You two," I warned.

Rose turned away and then said, "I wanna do it, Dad."

Ron let go of the cart and Rose took it. Head down, a look of determination on her face, Rose began to run straight at the barrier. Just as she went through, Hugo yelled, "DON'T HIT THE WALL!"

"Hugo!" I said sternly. "Knock it off."

"Oh, Hermione, calm down. He's just having fun," Ron said as he too went through the barrier.

"Right, come on, Hugo." Walking briskly with Hugo, we went through the barrier and I saw Harry and Ron talking.

"Let's go," I said, hurrying over to them.

"Any problems parking?" Ron was asking Harry. "I didn't! and Hermione didn't believe I could pass the driver's test."

"I did too," I retorted. "I had complete faith in you!"

As Ron and Harry took Rose and Albus's trunk over to the train, Ginny turned to me and said, "Well, one more after this."  
"Oh, hush!" I said, nudging her.

"Mum! Mum!" cried a voice. out of the steam of the train came a little boy with dark hair and brown eyes, which looked excited and worried at the same time. "MUM! Guess who I just saw? Teddy! With Victoire! He was snogging her! I asked him what he was doing and -"

"You just interrupted them?" Ginny asked her oldest son. "You are so like Ron."

"_Our_ Teddy! _Teddy Lupin_! Snogging _our_ Victoire! _Our_ cousin!" he said as if trying to get it through to his parents what was taking place at that moment.

"Oh, wouldn't it be lovely if they got married?" little Lily was asking Hugo. "Then he'd really be part of the family."

"He's already over four times a week for dinner," Harry said. "Why don't we just let him move in?"

"Yeah, that would be good," James said seriously. "I could share a room with Al."

"No. you two will only share a room when I want the house demolished," Harry told his son sternly. I giggled. Tell that to Harry, who shared a room with Ron many a time.

Ron nudged Harry and nodded with his head. There stood Draco Malfoy, with a receding hairline and his usual suit, standing with a woman and a little boy. The woman had dark hair and a beautiful face. The little boy looked very much like his father, much like how Albus looked like Harry.

Draco saw them staring and nodded curtly, then turned away.

"So that's little Scorpius, eh?" Ron murmured. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Ron!" I cried, exasperated. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even met!"

"Right. Sorry," Ron said. "But don't get too cozy, Rosie. Granddaddy Weasley wouldn't forgive you if you married a pureblood," Ron added, much to his daughters amusement.

I saw Harry check Fabian Prewett's old watch and then said, "Right. It's almost eleven. You better get on board."  
"Don't forget to give Neville our love," Ginny said to James as she hugged him.

"Mum! I can't give a professor love!" James said, horrified.

"But you know Professor Longbottom," Ginny said. I smiled as Rose looked nervously at the scarlet train in front of her.

The sounds of children departing from their parents was all around us as I watched Rose watch the train.

"Rosie, come here," I said. She turned and I saw a familiar look on her face. A face I associated to even myself as a look of intense concentration.

"Mum, think I'll be in Gryffindor?" she asked me as Ron's back was turned, Hugo standing with him. They were a sight, those two.

"Rose, we'll love you no matter what house you're in," I promised as she rushed into my arms for a final hug. "If you're in Hufflepuff, that's great. One of the most amazing women I ever knew was in Hufflepuff."

"Who?" Rose asked, momentarily distracted.

"A woman named Nymphadora Tonks Lupin."

Rose's eyes widened. "She was?"

I nodded.

"Ravenclaw?" she asked me, her eyes narrowed.

"I was almost put there," I told her.

"Slytherin?"

I shrugged. "Then Slytherin just got a wonderful new girl."

Rose beamed. "I love you, Mum."

"I love you too, Rosie," I said as I kissed her forehead for what would be the last time until Christmas. "And I'll write you every day, okay?"

Rose nodded. She turned to Ron, who hugged her tightly, gave her a kiss on both cheeks, and walked her to the train.

"Love you, Rosie," I heard Ron say as Rose hung out of a train window.

"Love you too, Daddy."

I smiled gently as Ron made his way back to me. He took my hand and we both waved as our daughters excited face disappeared.

"She'll be alright," Ron told me.

I nodded as we turned and left.

All was well. It had been for over nineteen years.

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**To you who stuck with this to the end, I thank toy. A lot. Seriously! I love each and everyone of you who did! I am eternally grateful to you all! So thank you! And I hope this ending wasn't too lame!**

**-LovelyAlice831-**


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